--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humanity, you never had it to begin with." description: "\"Humanity, you never had it to begin with.\" — Charles Bukowski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/charles-bukowski-73_begin_humanity-you-never-had-it-to-begin-with_2942768.jpg" --- # Humanity, you never had it to begin with. ![“Humanity, you never had it to begin with.” quote by Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/charles-bukowski-73_begin_humanity-you-never-had-it-to-begin-with_2942768.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/charles-bukowski-73_begin_humanity-you-never-had-it-to-begin-with_2942768.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/charles-bukowski-73_begin_humanity-you-never-had-it-to-begin-with_2942768.jpg) > “Humanity, you never had it to begin with.” [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity lacks inherent goodness; we must create meaning ourselves. **In simple terms:** People aren’t naturally good; we must make our own purpose. Key Takeaway Create your own moral compass. Themes existentialism human nature nihilism Mood cynical reflective Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - daily life - artistic pursuits - social activism - personal crises Key Concepts personal responsibility creative expression Questions to Reflect On - How do you define your own purpose? - What values do you choose to uphold? A Different Perspective Ignoring inherent flaws can lead to despair. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) ## Related quotes > [Set religion free, and a new humanity will begin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-wilhelm-friedrich-schlegel/set-religion-free-and-a-new-humanity-will-begin/) [Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-wilhelm-friedrich-schlegel/) > [You can only begin where you find yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-wilde/you-can-only-begin-where-you-find-yourself/) [Stuart Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-wilde/) > [Where shall we begin? There is no beginning. Start where you arrive. Stop before what entices you. And work! You will enter little by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auguste-rodin/where-shall-we-begin-there-is-no-beginning-start-where-you-arrive/) [Auguste Rodin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auguste-rodin/) > [We all begin as strangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-all-begin-as-strangers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Begin at the beginning, go on until the end, then stop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/begin-at-the-beginning-go-on-until-the-end-then-stop/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [To begin, at the beginning...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/to-begin-at-the-beginning/) [Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/) > [Begin where you are. 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He was murdering me with the sound of his voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-went-home-each-night-dizzy-and-sick-he-was-murdering-me-with-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“the nights you fight best are when all the weapons are pointed at you, when all the voices hurl their insults while the dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-nights-you-fight-best-are-when-all-the-weapons-are-pointed-at-you/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) [Explore all 1,492 Charles Bukowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## More Begin quotes > [If you wanted to put the world to rights, who should you begin with: yourself or others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/if-you-wanted-to-put-the-world-to-rights-who-should-you-begin-with/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“Let the motherfucking games begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/let-the-motherfucking-games-begin/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [“Begin as you mean to go on, and go on as you began, and let the Lord be all in all to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/begin-as-you-mean-to-go-on-and-go-on-as-you-began-and-let-the-lord-be/) [Charles H. 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She is how things begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/a-mother-is-always-the-beginning-she-is-how-things-begin/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [I look forward to the day that a lot of the folks that you all talk about and cover on this network will begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-look-forward-to-the-day-that-a-lot-of-the-folks-that-you-all-talk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...I'd be interested in any tips you have for somebody starting out.” “Uh-huh,” I said, looking out the window. I decided, as we drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/i-d-be-interested-in-any-tips-you-have-for-somebody-starting-out-uh/) [Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/) > [I'm Irish and always will be, but America has taught me so much. 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