From a speech given on 20 January 1969 at the University of Michigan, about two months before Slaughterhouse Five was published, as reported in "A very new kind of WIR [Writer in Residence]" by Daniel Okrent, feature editor. The Michigan Daily (21 January 1969, pages 1–2)
“
Be kind. Don’t kill for any reason. Don’t even kill out of self-defense. Really — I mean that. Don’t take any more than you need of anything. Help others.
— Kurt Vonnegut
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Be kind. Don’t kill for any reason. Don’t even kill out of self-defense. Really — I mean that. Don’t take any more than you need of anything. Help others." in the context of "From a speech given on 20 January 1969 at the University of Michigan, about two months before Slaughterhouse Five was published, as reported in "A very new kind of WIR [Writer in Residence]" by Daniel Okrent, feature editor. The Michigan Daily (21 January 1969, pages 1–2)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Kurt Vonnegut" (Quotes, Various quotations)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (11 November 1922 – 11 April 2007) was an American novelist known for works blending satire, black comedy, and science fiction.
About Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (11 November 1922 – 11 April 2007) was an American novelist known for works blending satire, black comedy, and science fiction.
View all quotes →