Al Capone, the notorious gangster of the Prohibition era, remains an enigmatic figure whose words still echo with raw power and a unique charm. This article explores the essence of Capone’s influence through his famed quotations, offering insights into the mind of a man who thrived in the underworld yet commanded a peculiar respect. By uncovering the themes in his sayings, we reflect on the darker aspects of human nature, power dynamics, and the allure of rebellion against societal norms. Each subtitle analyzes a different facet of Capone's life and legacy, bringing to light the enduring fascination with his persona.
Quotes on Power and Control
"You can go a long way with a smile. You can go a lot farther with a smile and a gun."
"Capitalism is the legitimate racket of the ruling class."
"I’m a businessman. I’ve made my money supplying a popular demand."
"A smile can get you far, but a gun will get you farther."
"I have built my organization upon fear."
"Prohibition has made nothing but trouble."
"Public service is my motto."
"I am like any other man. All I do is supply a demand."
"We been on the road for 18 hours. I need a bath, some chow, and then you and me sit down, and we talk about who dies."
"A gangster is one who demands utmost loyalty from his gang."
"Every time a bell rings, someone gets whacked."
"Don't get the impression that you arouse my anger. You see, one can only be angry with those he respects."
Quotes on Loyalty and Betrayal
"Loyalty is everything to me."
"You can get much further with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone."
"I'm the boss. People get the impression I'm imposing discipline. This is very big business."
"I have no place in my organization for city falling tears."
"There’s only five people you can’t kill in Chicago."
"Some call it bootlegging. Some call it racketeering. I call it a business."
"I’m not tough. I’m just a product of the environment."
"There’s reason a businessman steers clear of betrayal."
"I'm just a businessman, giving the people what they want."
"I believe in the Golden Rule – The Man with the Gold… Rules."
"Loyalty is worth more than money."
"In the end, the only way you can measure loyalty is through the sword."
Quotes on Law and Justice
"They can't collect legal taxes from illegal money."
"You'll accomplish more with a kind word and a gun than you will with a kind word alone."
"I'm not a gangster. I'm a businessman."
"I’m just a businessman, giving the people what they want."
"It's a racket. Those guys are enormous crooks, the police. Police do illegal deals all the time."
"You can do more with a gun and a smile than with just a smile."
"I'm just supplying a demand that the government has seen fit to restrict."
"Find the proper method for the man, not the man for the method."
"You can't handle it – it’s prohibition's fault, not mine."
"Behind every event is a decision lying in the shadow of a trigger."
"It’s hard to be a saint in the city."
"Lawyers are only habituated criminals."
Quotes on Money and Success
"Don't fake success. Do what you do and do it so well that everyone wants to work with you."
"You can get much further with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone."
"I am only responsible for what I say, not for what you understand."
"Capitalism gives all of us the opportunity to make something out of ourselves."
"A man’s got to take care of himself, even if he’s called a criminal."
"A smile gets you more than a fist."
"I don’t even know what street Canada is on."
"The funny thing is that people get up in arms when you call a winner a loser."
"Success is like getting up one more time than you’ve been knocked down."
"I am dealing in a very hard business, where people get killed."
"The problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves."
"They blame me for everything, I've lost count of the blame."
Quotes on Personal Identity
"Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness."
"You better come to your senses... before I step into your life."
"I’m the boss because of my human mechanics."
"You’re gonna learn the business about punches, the guts."
"I believe in a higher power, but I don’t have no religion."
"My rackets are run on strictly American lines and they’re going to stay American."
"I have spent the best years of my life giving people the lighter pleasures, helping them to have a good time, and all I get is abuse, the existence of a hunted man."
"Let them see who I am underneath."
"You got to survive because you live on a battlefield."
"Success means just as many enemies as friends."
"I prefer to live in the shadows where I'm most comfortable."
"What is life if not a series of calculated moves?"
Quotes on Reputation and Legacy
"I don't expect to go down in history."
"They call me Scarface... I prefer Al Capone."
"I would rather be a good person than a famous one."
"I don't have friends, I have fans."
"You can get many positive things in your life with a gun."
"My rap sheet is beyond extensive."
"Fear in itself is about leaving a legacy."
"I survived everything but Chicago."
"Even the laws couldn’t stop me, it’s my legacy."
"Reputation matters more than honesty."
"You live for the labels people give you."
"Maybe one day I’ll be remembered for more than my mistakes."
Quotes on Violence and Crime
"I just give people what they want."
"Crime is a man's business."
"The worst thing you can do for a friend is nothing."
"Whenever you fight, fight for your family."
"Blood will tell."
"The same people build you up and break you down."
"Peace is restrained hostility."
"You will be reborn in violence and blood."
"A bullet describes a thousand words."
"How many people did I kill today?"
"They got guns, we got guns, all God's children got guns."
"Trophy of the hunt - a killer of killers."
Quotes on the Media and Public Perception
"I never lie to any man because it doesn't pay."
"I have genuinely become a climber of the human ladder."
"Media just isn't selling enough blood and tears."
"A story is worth a thousand pictures."
"I’m no worse than the man running a daily grind."
"There’s nothing like a bad headline."
"They don’t write stories about rich losers, only underdogs."
"There’s only corruption in the press."
"A journalist is either a bounty hunter or just plain desperate."
"All the world's a newspaper and we are just merely the headlines."
"Read the papers, I’m a hit, they never pass up a story."
"In the report, I’m my own worst enemy."
Quotes on Society and Morality
"America is a country which heals its broken glass."
"The society I live in is a pretty violent place."
"Morality is what they tell you it is."
"There's only one way to live in the world we live in."
"I have a conscience, just not the one that people expect."
"You call it crime, I call it capitalism."
"Society is governed by its swing to momentum."
"In a moral world, everything should be upside down."
"Nobody is born good, the world is just one large sin."
"In piracy and in life, they have yet to successfully rule over."
"It’s not how much crime you commit, but who knows you did it."
"Humanity is the real proponent of crime."
Quotes on Survival and Resilience
"I have survived simply by staying quiet."
"I used to be a product of my circumstances, now I produce circumstances."
"Survival of the fiercest is the law of the jungle."
"Yield to no man’s authority without a struggle."
"Strength is found in the face of adversity."
"There are more ways to survive in the streets than just the gun."
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
"Persistent pressure is better than a quick kill."
"You survive because you were never supposed to."
"Stop counting the moves, start moving with life."
"Resilience is only for the patient man."
"Surprise them with your survival."
Final words
Al Capone's words offer a window into the psyche of an individual who thrived on the fringes of legality, his persona lingering in society's imagination long after his time. Through the exploration of his sharp, often unapologetic quotes, we gain insight into the foundations of his power, the importance he placed on reputation and loyalty, and his complex views on society. These themes remain relevant, reflecting the timeless struggle between law, morality, and the ever-compelling allure of power. Capone’s quotes continue to captivate, sparking discussions about the nature of justice, the human condition, and the thin line that separates ambition from infamy. His legacy persists as a reminder of both the resilience required to challenge the status quo and the inherent risks such rebellion entails. Ultimately, Capone's quotes are a testament to the enduring fascination with the ambiguities of good and evil, success and failure, all entangled in his era-defining narrative.
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