--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The weak are not a noble breed. Their…" description: "\"The weak are not a noble breed. Their sublime deeds of faith, daring, and self-sacrifice usually spring from questionable motives. The weak hate not wi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/eric-hoffer-343_achievement_the-weak-are-not-a-noble-breed-their-sub_3029102.jpg" --- # The weak are not a noble breed. Their sublime deeds of… ![“The weak are not a noble breed. Their sublime deeds of faith, daring, and self-sacrifice usually spring from questionable motives. The weak hate not wickedness but weakness; and one instance of their hatred of weakness is hatred of self. All the passionate pursuits of the weak are in some degree a…” quote by Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/eric-hoffer-343_achievement_the-weak-are-not-a-noble-breed-their-sub_3029102.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/eric-hoffer-343_achievement_the-weak-are-not-a-noble-breed-their-sub_3029102.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/eric-hoffer-343_achievement_the-weak-are-not-a-noble-breed-their-sub_3029102.jpg) > “The weak are not a noble breed. Their sublime deeds of faith, daring, and self-sacrifice usually spring from questionable motives. The weak hate not wickedness but weakness; and one instance of their hatred of weakness is hatred of self. All the passionate pursuits of the weak are in some degree a striving to escape, blur, or disguise an unwanted self. It is a striving shot through with malice, envy, self-deception, and a host of petty impulses; yet it often culminates in superb achievements.” [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that people who see themselves as weak often act out of insecure motives, using noble deeds to mask inner flaws, yet their efforts can still produce great results. **In simple terms:** Weakness drives people to hide flaws, sometimes creating great work. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden motives behind noble actions. Themes psychology motivation self-deception achievement ethics Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical psychological When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - creative projects - social movements - political activism Key Concepts self-esteem identity masochism altruism Questions to Reflect On - What drives your noble actions? - Can self‑critique improve authenticity? A Different Perspective Motives may be self‑deceptive, leading to ethical ambiguity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Daring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daring/) [Deception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deception/) [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Disguise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disguise/) [Envy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envy/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Malice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/malice/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Passionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passionate/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self deception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-deception/) [Self sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-sacrifice/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Sublime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sublime/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) [Wickedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wickedness/) ## Related quotes > [Power corrupts the few, whileweakness corrupts the many… The resentment of the weak does not spring from any injustice done to them but from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/power-corrupts-the-few-whileweakness-corrupts-the-many-the-resentment/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“George was full of hatred. Of his own weakness and stupidity, of his magic, of the stubbornness and the pride of Beatrice and Marit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mette-ivie-harrison/george-was-full-of-hatred-of-his-own-weakness-and-stupidity-of-his/) [Mette Ivie Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mette-ivie-harrison/) > [Know this: though love is weak and hate is strong, Yet hate is short, and love is very long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/know-this-though-love-is-weak-and-hate-is-strong-yet-hate-is-short/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't be afraid of haters. They are the ones who aren't strong enough to love, but weak enough to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/don-t-be-afraid-of-haters-they-are-the-ones-who-aren-t-strong-enough/) Unkown > [It is not love of self but hatred of self which is at the root of the troubles that afflict our world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-not-love-of-self-but-hatred-of-self-which-is-at-the-root-of-the/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [If weakness may excuse, What murderer, what traitor, parricide, Incestuous, sacrilegious, but may plead it? All wickedness is weakness; that plea, therefore, With God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/if-weakness-may-excuse-what-murderer-what-traitor-parricide/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Wickedness is weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wickedness-is-weakness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hatred is self-punishment. Hatred it the coward's revenge for being intimidated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/hatred-is-self-punishment-hatred-it-the-coward-s-revenge-for-being/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [“Hatred is self-punishment. Do you think they're feeling bad because you hate them?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-cohen-corasanti/hatred-is-self-punishment-do-you-think-they-re-feeling-bad-because/) [Michelle Cohen Corasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-cohen-corasanti/) > [There is no need for me to curse you -the murderer survives the victim only to learn that it was himself that he longed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/there-is-no-need-for-me-to-curse-you-the-murderer-survives-the-victim/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Hatred is always self hatred, and there is something suicidal about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hatred-is-always-self-hatred-and-there-is-something-suicidal-about-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you are blessed with great fortunes. . . you may love your fate. But your fate never guarantees the security of those great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-blessed-with-great-fortunes-you-may-love-your-fate-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“All hatred is self-hatred, just as all healing is self-healing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-micha-el-leventhal/all-hatred-is-self-hatred-just-as-all-healing-is-self-healing/) [Eric Micha'el Leventhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-micha-el-leventhal/) > [“For a man who professed to love God, he was filled with the vinegar of hatred and self-righteousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chadwick/for-a-man-who-professed-to-love-god-he-was-filled-with-the-vinegar-of/) [Elizabeth Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chadwick/) > [“A sight to touch e’en hatred’s self with pity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/a-sight-to-touch-e-en-hatred-s-self-with-pity/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) ## More by Eric Hoffer > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. 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Compassion alone stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/in-the-alchemy-of-man-s-soul-almost-all-noble-attributes-courage/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The act of self-denial seems to confer on us the right to be harsh and merciless toward others. The impression somehow prevails that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-act-of-self-denial-seems-to-confer-on-us-the-right-to-be-harsh/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A nation without dregs and malcontents, is orderly, decent, peaceful and pleasant, but perhaps without the seed of things to come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-nation-without-dregs-and-malcontents-is-orderly-decent-peaceful-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/compassion-alone-stands-apart-from-the-continuous-traffic-between/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A war is not won if the defeated enemy has not been turned into a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-war-is-not-won-if-the-defeated-enemy-has-not-been-turned-into-a/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to-surpass-himself-and-yearns/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [This food-and-shelter theory concerning man's efforts is without insight. The desire for praise is more imperative than the desire for food and shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/this-food-and-shelter-theory-concerning-man-s-efforts-is-without/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Explore all 658 Eric Hoffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More Achievement quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. 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Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. 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