If you feel dirty, insignificant or unloved, then rats are a good role model. They exist without permission, they have no respect for the hierarchy of society, and they have sex 50 times a day.
BanksyRead
The greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules but by people following the rules. It's people who follow orders that drop bombs and massacre villages.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that blind adherence to rules can lead to horrific actions, often perpetrated in the name of duty.
Banksy's quote highlights a profound critique of moral responsibility and the dangers of unquestioned obedience. It underscores the idea that many of the world's atrocities are not the result of individuals who defy authority, but rather those who strictly follow orders without moral consideration. This calls into question the ethics of rule-following in situations where such actions can lead to suffering and destruction.
Themes
ObedienceMoralityEthicsWarDuty
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the moral implications of military orders.
More from Banksy
All quotes →T.V. has made going to the theatre seem pointless, photography has pretty much killed painting but graffiti has remained gloriously unspoilt by progress.
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I originally set out to try and save the world, but now I'm not sure I like it enough.
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Graffiti ultimately wins out over proper art because it becomes part of your city, it' s a tool; "I'll meet you in that pub, you know, the one opposite that wall with a picture of a monkey holding a chainsaw". I mean, how much more useful can a painting be than that?
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Think outside the box, collapse the box, and take a f**king sharp knife to it.
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Gaza is often described as 'the world's largest open air prison' because no-one is allowed to enter or leave. But that seems a bit unfair to prisons - they don’t have their electricity and drinking water cut off randomly almost every day.
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