Great bodies of people are never responsible for what they…
““Great bodies of people are never responsible for what they do. They are driven by instincts which are not within their control. They too, the patriarchs, the professors, had endless difficulties, terrible drawbacks to contend with. Their education had been in some ways as faulty as my own. It had bred in them defects as great. True, they had money and power, but only at the cost of harbouring in their breasts an eagle, a vulture, forever tearing the liver out and plucking at the lungs—the instinct for possession, the rage for acquisition which drives them to desire other people's fields and goods perpetually; to make frontiers and flags; battleships and poison gas; to offer up their own lives and their children's lives.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Human behavior is driven by deep, often unconscious instincts for possession and power, which can corrupt even educated individuals.
In simple terms: Instincts for ownership and dominance shape actions, often negatively.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and temper destructive instincts.
Themes
power
possession
human nature
corruption
instinct
education
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical.
When to use this quote
- politics
- business
- personal relationships
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
psychology
social critique
ethical philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- Can awareness of these instincts change behavior?
- How can societies limit destructive acquisition?
A Different Perspective
Instincts can be mitigated by conscious moral effort.