Day and night Quote by Dave Cullen
““Eric penned nearly a dozen new journal entries in the next two months. "I have a goal to destroy as much as possible," he wrote, "so I must not be sidetracked by my feelings of sympathy, mercy, or any of that." It was a mark of Eric's ruthlessness that he comprehended the pain and consciously fought the urge to spare it. "I will force myself to believe that everyone is just another monster from Doom," [the computer game he played day and night] he wrote. "I have to turn off my feelings.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Book of Life: An Illustrated History of the Evolution of Humanity, Dave Cullen, 2018
A person suppresses empathy to pursue a destructive goal, viewing others as obstacles rather than beings with feelings.
In simple terms: He turns off compassion to focus on a ruthless objective.
Key Takeaway
Beware letting ruthlessness override humanity.
Themes
ruthlessness
empathy
goal setting
psychology
Mood
conflicted
detached
Type
ethical
psychological
When to use this quote
- military training
- competitive business
- gaming communities
- personal ambition
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
Moral disengagement
dehumanization
cognitive dissonance
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives someone to eliminate empathy?
- Can goals be achieved without harming others?
A Different Perspective
Such suppression can lead to loss of moral compass and alienation.
