“He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this, how despicable an ignoreable war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.”
- Albert Einstein
Sunday Morning Poetry
by Ian on 02. Dec, 2007 in Sunday Morning
3 Responses to “Sunday Morning Poetry”
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yo Ian..
absolutely right.
wondering about the date of the quote…pre- Hiroshima?
I’m guessing very early 20th century..possibly after WW1..more likely before.
how does that square with Atomic warfare development..of which Albert was a(willing) prime contributor?
nontheless, the sentiments are right on…but it does raise the question of individual responsibilty..as in “actions..louder than words”.
Shalom.
o.k.
my response to Einsteins quote is a good example of “opening mouth and hitting the submit comment button..before engaging brain..”
Einstein switched from Pacifism to a proponent of development of an atomic bomb..in the face of the likelihood that Nazi Germany would do it first..he convinced Roosevelt of this in 1939, and the beginnings of the Manhattan Project was born.
Apparently his direct work on the bomb was very limited..and theoretical.. but the entire concept is indeed based on his Theory of Relativity.
Einstein weighed in on the bombing of Japan publicly 1 year after the event.. he condemned it completely..and spent the rest of his life opposing nuclear tests and the use of nuclear weapons..he was, along with Bertrand Russell, a global leader in this effort.
Just before his death, Einstein wrote..”I made one great mistake in my life..recommending that atom bombs be made…”.
So there…mea culpa!
“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods” – Albert Einstein