I began writing when I was still in the British Foreign Service, and it was then understood that even if you wrote about butterfly collecting, you used another name.
John Le CarreRead
There will be no war, but in the pursuit of principle no stone will be left standing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the importance of adhering to principles, even if it leads to destruction.
John Le Carre's quote speaks to the often destructive nature of pursuing one's principles with unwavering commitment. It suggests that while the goal may not be war itself, the relentless pursuit of what one believes to be right can lead to significant upheaval and conflict, leaving no remnant of the status quo untouched in the quest for moral or ethical integrity.
Themes
PrinciplePursuitDestructionConflictIntegrity
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about ethics in leadership, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of upholding principles.
More from John Le Carre
All quotes βIn every war zone that I've been in, there has been a reality and then there has been the public perception of why the war was being fought. In every crisis, the issues have been far more complex than the public has been allowed to know.
John Le CarreRead
The cat sat on the mat is not a story. The cat sat on the other catβs mat is a story.
John Le CarreRead
The monsters of our childhood do not fade away, neither are they ever wholly monstrous.
John Le CarreRead
Coming home from very lonely places, all of us go a little mad: whether from great personal success, or just an all-night drive, we are the sole survivors of a world no one else has ever seen.
John Le CarreRead
If I had to put a name to it, I would wish that all my books were entertainments. I think the first thing you've got to do is grab the reader by the ear, and make him sit down and listen. Make him laugh, make him feel. We all want to be entertained at a very high level.
John Le CarreRead
Similar quotes
You may readily judge whether you are a child of God or a hypocrite by seeing in what direction your soul turns in seasons of severe trial. The hypocrite flies to the world and finds a sort of comfort there. But the child of God runs to his Father and expects consolation only from the Lord's hand.
Charles SpurgeonRead
We may idealize freedom, but when it comes to our habits, we are completely enslaved.
Sogyal RinpocheRead
At a certain point, what people mean when they use a word becomes its meaning.
William SafireRead
Zero is powerful because it is infinityβs twin. They are equal and opposite, yin and_x000D_ yang. They are equally paradoxical and troubling. The biggest questions in science_x000D_ and religion are about nothingness and eternity, the void and the infinite, zero and_x000D_ infinity. The clashes over zero were the battles that shook the foundations of philosophy,_x000D_ of science, of mathematics, and of religion. Underneath every revolution lay a_x000D_ zero β and an infinity.
Charles SeifeRead
A world of automata β of creatures that worked like machines β would hardly be worth creating.
C. S. LewisRead
The Millennium Development Goals were a pledge to uphold the principles of human dignity, equality and equity, and free the world from extreme poverty. The MDGs, with eight goals and a set of measurable time-bound targets, established a blueprint for tackling the most pressing development challenges of our time.
Ban Ki-MoonRead