--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The power of hiding ourselves from one…" description: "\"The power of hiding ourselves from one another is mercifully given, for men are wild beasts, and would devour one another but for this protection.\" — H..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/henry-ward-beecher-175_beast_the-power-of-hiding-ourselves-from-one-a_1139536.png" --- # The power of hiding ourselves from one another is… ![“The power of hiding ourselves from one another is mercifully given, for men are wild beasts, and would devour one another but for this protection.” quote by Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/henry-ward-beecher-175_beast_the-power-of-hiding-ourselves-from-one-a_1139536.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/henry-ward-beecher-175_beast_the-power-of-hiding-ourselves-from-one-a_1139536.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/henry-ward-beecher-175_beast_the-power-of-hiding-ourselves-from-one-a_1139536.png) > “The power of hiding ourselves from one another is mercifully given, for men are wild beasts, and would devour one another but for this protection.” [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society imposes rules to curb our innate aggression, protecting us from mutual destruction. **In simple terms:** Rules keep us from harming each other. Key Takeaway Respect and uphold social norms. Themes civilization self‑control social order Mood reflective serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - law enforcement - community living - online moderation - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - Do you think rules protect or constrain? - How would society function without them? A Different Perspective Rules can be oppressive and limit personal freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Beasts Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beasts-devour-3169426/) [Devour Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devour-protection-3169427/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Hiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding/) [Hiding Mercifully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding-mercifully-3169425/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Wild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-wild-3097969/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Wild beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wild-beast/) [Wild beasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wild-beasts/) ## Related quotes > [“Lysandra chuckled, a surprisingly deep, wicked sound—probably a laugh she never let Arobynn or her clients hear. “Some night soon, I’ll sneak back in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/lysandra-chuckled-a-surprisingly-deep-wicked-sound-probably-a-laugh/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [In short, all good things are wild and free. There is something in a strain of music, whether produced by an instrument or by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-short-all-good-things-are-wild-and-free-there-is-something-in-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Here I am, a wild beast cut off from his companions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chairil-anwar/here-i-am-a-wild-beast-cut-off-from-his-companions/) [Chairil Anwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chairil-anwar/) > [O witches, O misery, O hate, to you has my treasure been entrusted! I contrived to purge my mind of all human hope. 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Let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/now-i-begin-to-be-a-disciple-i-care-for-nothing-of-visible-or/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [Thus we behold Kentucky, lately an howling wilderness, the habitation of savages and wild beasts, become a fruitful field; this region, so favourably distinguished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-boone/thus-we-behold-kentucky-lately-an-howling-wilderness-the-habitation/) [Daniel Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-boone/) > [When among wild beasts, if they menace you, be a wild beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/when-among-wild-beasts-if-they-menace-you-be-a-wild-beast/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Speaking of the murder of the younger Hanan, and other eminent nobles and hierarchs, Josephus says, "I cannot but think that it was because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-farrar/speaking-of-the-murder-of-the-younger-hanan-and-other-eminent-nobles/) [Frederic Farrar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-farrar/) > [“Don't run around this world looking for a hole to hide in. There are wild beasts in every cave! If you live with mice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/don-t-run-around-this-world-looking-for-a-hole-to-hide-in-there-are/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) ## More by Henry Ward Beecher > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. 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It is not for want of schoolmasters that we are still ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-best-lessons-a-man-ever-learns-are-from-his-mistakes-it-is-not/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [THERE are joys which long to be ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-are-joys-which-long-to-be-ours/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [People may talk about the equality of the sexes! They are not equal. The silent smile of a sensible, loving woman will vanquish ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/people-may-talk-about-the-equality-of-the-sexes-they-are-not-equal/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirthfulness is in the mind and you cannot get it out. It is just as good in its place as conscience or veneration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirthfulness-is-in-the-mind-and-you-cannot-get-it-out-it-is-just-as/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirth is God's medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirth-is-god-s-medicine-everybody-ought-to-bathe-in-it/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Some of God's noblest sons, I think, will be selected from those that know how to take wealth, with all its temptations, and maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/some-of-god-s-noblest-sons-i-think-will-be-selected-from-those-that/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You have seen a ship out on the bay, swinging with the tide, and seeming as if it would follow it; and yet it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/you-have-seen-a-ship-out-on-the-bay-swinging-with-the-tide-and/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) [Explore all 990 Henry Ward Beecher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More Beast quotes > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. 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