--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have very primitive emotions,” he said…" description: "\"We have very primitive emotions,” he said . “It's impossible not to be competitive. Spoils everything, though.\" — Ernest Hemingway" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4eb/ernest-hemingway-83_competitive_we-have-very-primitive-emotions-he-said_268000.jpg" --- # We have very primitive emotions,” he said . “It's… ![“We have very primitive emotions,” he said . “It's impossible not to be competitive. Spoils everything, though.” quote by Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4eb/ernest-hemingway-83_competitive_we-have-very-primitive-emotions-he-said_268000.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4eb/ernest-hemingway-83_competitive_we-have-very-primitive-emotions-he-said_268000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4eb/ernest-hemingway-83_competitive_we-have-very-primitive-emotions-he-said_268000.jpg) > “We have very primitive emotions,” he said . “It's impossible not to be competitive. Spoils everything, though.” [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human nature is inherently competitive, and that drive can corrupt or spoil interactions. **In simple terms:** Competition is innate and can corrupt. Key Takeaway Channel competition constructively. Themes human nature competition corruption Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - sports - business negotiations - team projects Key Concepts evolutionary psychology ethics social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you harness competition healthily? - When does competition become harmful? A Different Perspective Competition can be positive when balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/) [Competitive Spoils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive-spoils-2626744/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Emotions Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-said-2626743/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Primitive Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primitive-emotions-2626742/) [Spoil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoil/) ## Related quotes > [We have very primative emotions. It's impossible not to be competitive. Spoils everything, though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/we-have-very-primative-emotions-it-s-impossible-not-to-be-competitive/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Emotions can be said to be the fire of attraction and repulsion between human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumar-anupam/emotions-can-be-said-to-be-the-fire-of-attraction-and-repulsion/) [Kumar Anupam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumar-anupam/) > [Come live with us, Diana. Don't argue. Just say yes." Diana looked at the ground to hide her emotions. Then she said, "Would I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/come-live-with-us-diana-don-t-argue-just-say-yes-diana-looked-at-the/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [The only thing that can spoil a day is people and if you can keep from making engagements, every day has no limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-only-thing-that-can-spoil-a-day-is-people-and-if-you-can-keep/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [The only thing that could spoil a day was people. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-only-thing-that-could-spoil-a-day-was-people-people-were-always/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Throw a theory into the fire; it only spoils life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/throw-a-theory-into-the-fire-it-only-spoils-life/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [“want to spoil things. I think she”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-hughes/want-to-spoil-things-i-think-she/) [Kathryn Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-hughes/) > [Spare the rod and spoil the child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/spare-the-rod-and-spoil-the-child/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [I don't want to spoil this for anybody but wrestling, sports entertainment, is 'pre-determined.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diamond-dallas-page/i-don-t-want-to-spoil-this-for-anybody-but-wrestling-sports/) [Diamond Dallas Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diamond-dallas-page/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [The mother's love is not given to us to spoil us with indulgence, but to soften our hearts, that we may in turn soften…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/the-mother-s-love-is-not-given-to-us-to-spoil-us-with-indulgence-but/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [“Living in the middle of beauty like this, we've no call to have puny ideas about God. Why do you suppose His world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/living-in-the-middle-of-beauty-like-this-we-ve-no-call-to-have-puny/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [Historically, art has always had a market. When one medieval fiefdom defeated another they would drag back its jewels, gold, tapestries and art objects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-glimcher/historically-art-has-always-had-a-market-when-one-medieval-fiefdom/) [Arne Glimcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-glimcher/) > [I hate to see prudence clinging to the green suckers of youth; 'tis like ivy round a sapling, and spoils the growth of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/i-hate-to-see-prudence-clinging-to-the-green-suckers-of-youth-tis/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [My rule is, when you are unhappy, think about it. But when you're happy, don't. Why spoil it? You're probably happy for some ridiculous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/my-rule-is-when-you-are-unhappy-think-about-it-but-when-you-re-happy/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) ## More by Ernest Hemingway > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“There was no wind, and, outside now of the warm air of the cave, heavy with smoke of both tobacco and charcoal, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-was-no-wind-and-outside-now-of-the-warm-air-of-the-cave-heavy/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“It was not brilliant bull-fighting. It was only perfect bull-fighting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/it-was-not-brilliant-bull-fighting-it-was-only-perfect-bull-fighting/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [One cat just leads to another. The place is so damned big it doesn't really seem as though there were many cats until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/one-cat-just-leads-to-another-the-place-is-so-damned-big-it-doesn-t/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Creation's probably overrated. After all, God made the world in only six days and rested on the seventh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/creation-s-probably-overrated-after-all-god-made-the-world-in-only/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“Viva my husband who was Mayor of this town”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/viva-my-husband-who-was-mayor-of-this-town/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“The earth gets tired of being exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-earth-gets-tired-of-being-exploited/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [What is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/what-is-moral-is-what-you-feel-good-after-and-what-is-immoral-is-what/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“We drove out along the coast road. There was the green of the headlands, the white, red-roofed villas, patches of forest, and the ocean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/we-drove-out-along-the-coast-road-there-was-the-green-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [As a Nobel Prize winner I cannot but regret that the award was never given to Mark Twain, nor to Henry James, speaking only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/as-a-nobel-prize-winner-i-cannot-but-regret-that-the-award-was-never/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Oh, darling, I've been so miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/oh-darling-i-ve-been-so-miserable/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I read my own books sometimes to cheer me when it is hard to write, and then I remember that it was always difficult,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-read-my-own-books-sometimes-to-cheer-me-when-it-is-hard-to-write/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“You find everything on earth at Harry's." "Yes, my Colonel. Except, possibly, happiness." "I'll damn well find happiness, too," the Colonel assured him. "Happiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/you-find-everything-on-earth-at-harry-s-yes-my-colonel-except/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“No. It's bad for me. Cole Porter wrote the words and the music. This knowledge that you're going mad for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/no-it-s-bad-for-me-cole-porter-wrote-the-words-and-the-music-this/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“everything kills everything else in some way. Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive. The boy keeps me alive, he thought. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/everything-kills-everything-else-in-some-way-fishing-kills-me-exactly/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) [Explore all 1,464 Ernest Hemingway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## More Competitive quotes > [If life were like a competitive race, some people would be given a flying start and others would line up with weights tied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/if-life-were-like-a-competitive-race-some-people-would-be-given-a/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) > [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/) [Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [My dad is a competitive guy. That's a part of me. It's just a certain drive, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auston-matthews/my-dad-is-a-competitive-guy-that-s-a-part-of-me-it-s-just-a-certain/) [Auston Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auston-matthews/) > [I was a serious competitive figure skater and still ice-skate as much as I can. Anyway, I once brought a date to the rink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-serratos/i-was-a-serious-competitive-figure-skater-and-still-ice-skate-as-much/) [Christian Serratos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-serratos/) > [Don't compare your career to anyone else's. It's tough when you're in a business that's competitive. I was having a difficult time with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-brooks/don-t-compare-your-career-to-anyone-else-s-it-s-tough-when-you-re-in/) [Danielle Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-brooks/) > [In any competitive environment, whether you're in sales or marketing or whatever it is, you have to know your competition, understand who they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-moses/in-any-competitive-environment-whether-you-re-in-sales-or-marketing/) [Edwin Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-moses/) > [I just love this sport and it's so competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-coleman/i-just-love-this-sport-and-it-s-so-competitive/) [Christian Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-coleman/) > [Everyone must be in the same competitive situation, including on the fiscal level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/everyone-must-be-in-the-same-competitive-situation-including-on-the/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [I've always been competitive and determined. It's part of my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-simmonds/i-ve-always-been-competitive-and-determined-it-s-part-of-my/) [Ellie Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-simmonds/) > [Uruguayans are competitive, and we always want to win. Even though we try to hide it, it is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-godin/uruguayans-are-competitive-and-we-always-want-to-win-even-though-we/) [Diego Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-godin/) > [I'm quite competitive. Not with other models but with myself. I have to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arizona-muse/i-m-quite-competitive-not-with-other-models-but-with-myself-i-have-to/) [Arizona Muse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arizona-muse/) > [I'll miss the competitive side and the camaraderie of being around the players and competing each and every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-ll-miss-the-competitive-side-and-the-camaraderie-of-being-around/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [We always want to see each other do well. And I think we all want to win. As competitive as you are, you always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-brown/we-always-want-to-see-each-other-do-well-and-i-think-we-all-want-to/) [Antonio Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-brown/) > [Any physical practice can be a competitive sport. What level you can take postures to create the maximum challenge and show your maximum skill,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajashree-choudhury/any-physical-practice-can-be-a-competitive-sport-what-level-you-can/) [Rajashree Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajashree-choudhury/) [Browse all 1,008 Competitive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have very primitive emotions,” he said . “It's impossible not to be competitive. 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