“You can rob a bank with a gun, but you can rob the world with a bank”
“Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime” is a popular proverb. “Give a man a gun and he’ll rob a bank. Give a man a bank and he’ll rob the world” and “Give a man a gun and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank and he can rob the world” are joke variations that been printed on several images.
“YOU CAN ROB A BANK WITH A GUN, BUT YOU CAN ROB THE WORLD WITH A BANK” was posted on Twitter by HELLA HANDSOME on March 29, 2010. “Have a gun, rob a bank; have a bank, rob the world” was posted on Twitter by Charles C on April 4, 2010. “with a gun you rob a bank, with a bank you can rob the world - unknown author” was posted on Twitter by محمد on July 7, 2010. The origin of the saying is unknown.
Several variations became popular in November 2011, with the Occupy Wall Street movement. “Give me a gun and I can rob a bank. Give me a bank and I can rob the world” was posted on Twitter by Alex Andreou on November 28, 2011. “Give a man a gun and he’ll rob a bank. Give a man a bank and he’ll rob the world. - Cory Tomlinson” was posted on Twitter on November 28, 2011. “Good one RT @ilegal: Give a man a gun and he can rob a bank; give a man a bank and he can rob the world. #OLSX #OccupyLSX #ows #BankofIdeas” was posted on Twitter by Philip Gregory King on November 28, 2011.
“Give a man a gun and he can rob a bank. Give a man a central bank and he can rob the world”—with “central bank”—is a newer variation.
Twitter
HELLA HANDSOME
@THE_IMHOTEP
“YOU CAN ROB A BANK WITH A GUN, BUT YOU CAN ROB THE WORLD WITH A BANK”
12:01 PM · Mar 29, 2010
Twitter
Charles C
@fortysahinn
Have a gun, rob a bank; have a bank, rob the world.
11:12 AM · Apr 4, 2010
Twitter
HELLA HANDSOME
@THE_IMHOTEP
“you can rob a bank with a gun, you can rob the world with a bank”
12:53 PM · Apr 5, 2010
Twitter
محمد
@youngrumi
with a gun you rob a bank, with a bank you can rob the world - unknown author
6:59 PM · Jul 7, 2010
Twitter
The Help
@izewrites
With a gun you rob a bank, with a bank you rob the world.
11:40 AM · Sep 4, 2010
Twitter
UnCommon Sense
@mesaidit
You can rob a bank with a gun, but you can rob the world with a bank #politics
11:09 AM · Jul 29, 2011
Twitter
Rachie Rach 🦩
@princessracheli
RT @Montannaah: You can rob a bank with a gun but you can rob the world with a bank!!—this!!
9:44 AM · Sep 16, 2011
Twitter
forgetTrump
@reidbryce
“You can rob a bank with a gun but you can rob the whole world with a bank .” (Anonymous commentator)
11:49 AM · Sep 30, 2011
Twitter
Rachael L. McIntosh
@EntropyPress
You can rob a bank with a gun but you can rob the whole world with a bank.
10:57 PM · Nov 7, 2011
Twitter
Alex Andreou
@sturdyAlex
Give me a gun and I can rob a bank. Give me a bank and I can rob the world.
4:27 AM · Nov 28, 2011
Twitter
toby
@tobyornot_
Gotta be tweet of the week! #OWS “@sturdyAlex: Give me a gun and I can rob a bank. Give me a bank and I can rob the world.”
4:45 AM · Nov 28, 2011
Twitter
✨Tricia Bennett ✨
@Tricia_Bennett
Give a man a gun and he’ll rob a bank. Give a man a bank and he’ll rob the world. - Cory Tomlinson.
1:34 PM - 28 Nov 2011
Twitter
Philip Gregory King
@wildscribe
Good one RT @ilegal: Give a man a gun and he can rob a bank; give a man a bank and he can rob the world. #OLSX #OccupyLSX #ows #BankofIdeas
4:45 PM · Nov 28, 2011
Twitter
Jack Wilson
@jackwilsonn95
Give a man a gun and he’ll rob a bank. Give a man a bank and he’ll rob the world.
2:19 AM · Nov 29, 2011
30 November 2011, CNN:
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news to tell you about. These are live pictures. Dismantling of Occupy L.A. is underway. Hundreds of riot police moving in. Many Occupy protesters are standing their ground.
(...)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINES CORRESPONDENT: I have a joke for you, too, by the way, about banks that I wanted to tell you really quickly this morning. As someone just told me—give a man a gun, he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, he can rob the world. I thought you’d like that.
COSTELLO: Oh. I like it but I don’t think many bankers probably would.
ROMANS: No. But I knew you’d chuckle over it.
COSTELLO: Yes. You got that right.
30 November 2011, Philadelphia (PA) Daily News, “Postings,” pg. 33, col. 5:
Give a man a gun and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank and he can rob the world.
@MrsSelfDestrukt
Google Groups: uk.sport.football.clubs.liverpool
Precedent Set
Redman
12/21/11
(...)
Give a man a gun and he’ll rob a Bank
Give a man a Bank and he’ll rob the World
4 April 2012, Brattleboro (VT) Reformer, “Greed and the lottery.” pg. ?:
But greed makes people stupid. One of my new favorite sayings is give a man a gun and he’ll rob a bank, give a man a bank and he’ll rob the world. Once again, it’s all greed based.
25 June 2012, The Daily Telegraph (London, UK), “Guy and Co elbow aside the clouds” by James Lachno, pg. 23:
Now they are in their midforties, and this anti-commercial spirit hasn’t been forgotten. Frontman Eddie Vedder, in jeans and a baggy shirt, could have been plucked straight from 1991. When he spoke to the crowd, it was with the same angst that had propelled the heyday of grunge.
“Give a man a gun and he’ll rob a bank; give a man a bank and he’ll rob the world,” he said at one point.
Reddit—Quotes
Give a man a gun and he’ll rob a bank. Give a man a bank and he’ll rob the world. Unknown (self.quotes)
submitted May 21, 2015 by OB1_kenobi
Facebook
B. Dolan
August 17, 2015 ·
“Give a man a gun and he’ll rob a bank, give a man a bank and he’ll rob the world.”
Google Books
Drax
By Ikenna Nwimo
Lulu Press (Lulu.com)
2017
Pp. 227-228:
‘Give a man a gun and he’ll rob a bank. Give a man a bank and he’ll rob the world,’ Jacob said.
Reddit—Jokes
Give a man a gun and he’ll rob a bank,
submitted March 16, 2018 by theolaw
Give a man a bank and he’ll rob the world.