---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anyone who ever studied mankind by…"
description: "\"Anyone who ever studied mankind by listening to them was self-deluded. The first thing they should have done was to answer the question, \"Can they repo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22b/bill-mollison-4213_answers_anyone-who-ever-studied-mankind-by-liste_3005588.jpg"
---

#  Anyone who ever studied mankind by listening to them was…

![“Anyone who ever studied mankind by listening to them was self-deluded. The first thing they should have done was to answer the question, "Can they report to you correctly on their behavior?" And the answer is, "No, the poor bastards cannot."” quote by Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22b/bill-mollison-4213_answers_anyone-who-ever-studied-mankind-by-liste_3005588.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22b/bill-mollison-4213_answers_anyone-who-ever-studied-mankind-by-liste_3005588.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22b/bill-mollison-4213_answers_anyone-who-ever-studied-mankind-by-liste_3005588.jpg)

> “Anyone who ever studied mankind by listening to them was self-deluded. The first thing they should have done was to answer the question, "Can they report to you correctly on their behavior?" And the answer is, "No, the poor bastards cannot."”

[Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Studying humanity by listening is flawed; we must first verify if they can accurately report behavior.

**In simple terms:** Listening alone doesn’t reveal true behavior.

Key Takeaway

Validate information before trusting it.

Themes

research human behavior verification

Mood

skeptical inquisitive

Type

academic philosophical

When to use this quote

- anthropology
- journalism
- market research
- policy making
- education

Key Concepts

epistemology critical thinking

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we ensure accurate self‑reporting?
- What alternatives exist to direct listening?

A Different Perspective

Verification can be invasive or impractical.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Reports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reports/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/)

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