Inhuman Quote by Eldridge Cleaver
““You don't have to teach people how to be human. You have to teach them how to stop being inhuman. Eldridge Cleaver””
About This Quote
Source Interview: 1970s interview with Eldridge Cleaver, 1972
Teaching humanity requires stopping inhuman behavior, not instructing basic humanity.
In simple terms: Stop being inhuman.
Key Takeaway
Focus on eliminating cruelty.
Themes
humanity
behavior
education
ethics
social change
Mood
urgent
reflective
Type
ethical
activist
When to use this quote
- anti‑violence training
- community workshops
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
activism
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What inhuman actions do you see most often?
- How can societies enforce humane conduct?
A Different Perspective
Changing behavior is harder than teaching concepts.
![“All I can say is, it's a good thing we didn't win the revolution [laughter]. We would've ended up with people like Abie Hoffman and Eldridge Cleaver at the helm; we would've been in big trouble. Big trouble. It would've been such a Stalinist purge ... All those people that were the top names in…” quote by R. Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/34b/r-crumb-89259_60s_all-i-can-say-is-it-s-a-good-thing-we-di_1363086.jpg)
![“[W]e are the heirs of a past of rope, fire, and murder. I for one am not ashamed of this past. My shame is for those who became so inhuman that they could inflict this torture upon us.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ae7/martin-luther-king-jr-127_ashamed_w-e-are-the-heirs-of-a-past-of-rope-fire_62341.jpg)
