Animals Quote by Andrzej Sapkowski
““humans,’ Zoltan Chivay said grimly. ‘Every sentient creature on this earth, when it falls into want, poverty and misfortune, usually cleaves to his own. Because it’s easier to survive the bad times in a group, helping one another. But you, humans, you just wait for a chance to make money from other people’s mishaps. When there’s hunger you don’t share out your food, you just devour the weakest ones. This practice works among wolves, since it lets the healthiest and strongest individuals survive. But among sentient races selection of that kind usually allows the biggest bastards to survive and dominate the rest. Come to your own conclusions and make your own predictions.’ Dandelion””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Witcher series, The Tower of the Swallow, 2013
The passage critiques human selfishness, noting that unlike animals that cooperate for survival, humans often exploit others’ suffering for profit, leading to domination by the ruthless.
In simple terms: Humans often exploit others' misfortune instead of helping.
Key Takeaway
Beware greed and prioritize collective welfare.
Themes
ethics
human nature
social critique
survival
greed
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- economic policy
- community aid programs
- ethical business practices
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
social Darwinism
collective responsibility
Questions to Reflect On
- What incentives could promote altruism?
- How does competition affect societal cohesion?
A Different Perspective
Human cooperation can be undermined by profit motives.
![“[Spiritual friendship] is eagerly helping one another know, serve, love, and resemble God in deeper and deeper ways.” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6e5/timothy-keller-240_deeper_spiritual-friendship-is-eagerly-helping_1617803.jpg)
![“Three helping one another, beare the burthen of sixe. [Three helping one another, bear the burden of six.]” quote by George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b77/george-herbert-107_bears_three-helping-one-another-beare-the-burt_855443.jpg)
