We have done with Hope and Honour. we are lost to Love and Truth, We are dropping down the ladder rung by rung; And the measure of our torment is the measure of our youth. God help us, for we knew the worst too young!
Rudyard KiplingRead
Yes, making mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep... For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that an' Chuck him out, the brute! But it's Saviour of his country, when the guns begins to shoot!
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote critiques the attitude of society towards soldiers, highlighting the contrast between disdain in peacetime and respect in wartime.
Rudyard Kipling's quote reflects on the double standard society often has towards soldiers. In times of peace, they may be mocked and disrespected, yet when war breaks out, these same individuals are hailed as heroes and saviors. This highlights the complex relationship between civilians and those who serve in the military, questioning the values and appreciation of sacrifice inherent in such roles.
Themes
SoldiersMilitarySocietyRespectWar
In practice
Example use cases
During a veteran's ceremony to honor those who fought in the war.
More from Rudyard Kipling
All quotes →Humble because of knowledge; mighty by sacrifice.
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Hear and attend and listen; for this is what befell and be-happened and became and was, O my Best Beloved, when the Tame animals were wild. The dog was wild, and the Horse was wild, and the Cow was wild, and the Sheep was wild, and the Pig was wild -as wild as wild could be - and they walked in the Wet Wild Woods by their wild lones. But the wildest of all the wild animals was the Cat. He walked by himself and all places were alike to him
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I keep six honest serving men.
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And when your back stops aching and your hands begin to harden, You will find yourself a partner in the Glory of the Garden.
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Savings represent much more than mere money value. They are the proof that the saver is worth something in himself. Any fool can waste; any fool can muddle; but it takes something more of a man to save and the more he saves the more of a man he makes of himself. Waste and extravagance unsettle a man's mind for every crisis; thrift, which means some form of self-restraint, steadies it.
Rudyard KiplingRead
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