A permanent possibility of selfishness arises from the…
““A permanent possibility of selfishness arises from the mere fact of having a self, and not from any accidents of education or ill-treatment. And the weakness of all Utopias is this, that they take the greatest difficulty of man and assume it to be overcome, and then give an elaborate account of the overcoming of the smaller ones. They first assume that no man will want more than his share, and then are very ingenious in explaining whether his share will be delivered by motor-car or balloon.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Human nature inherently includes selfishness, and utopian visions often ignore this by assuming people will be content with minimal gains, then overcomplicate solutions.
In simple terms: Selfishness is natural; utopias ignore it and overcomplicate fixes.
Key Takeaway
Recognize selfish tendencies and design realistic solutions.
Themes
human nature
utopia
selfishness
idealism
Mood
skeptical
reflective
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy design
- community building
- organizational leadership
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
philosophy
social critique
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance ideal goals with realistic human behavior?
- What simple structures satisfy basic needs without overengineering?
A Different Perspective
Utopian plans may fail if they underestimate deeper human drives.