--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I let them do some simple arithmetic. In…" description: "\"“I let them do some simple arithmetic. In a group of one hundred people, how many assholes are there? How many fathers who humiliate their children? Ho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/herman-koch-7856_anger_i-let-them-do-some-simple-arithmetic-in_1940715.jpg" --- # I let them do some simple arithmetic. In a group of one… ![“I let them do some simple arithmetic. In a group of one hundred people, how many assholes are there? How many fathers who humiliate their children? How many morons whose breath stinks like rotten meat but who refuse to do anything about it? How many hopeless cases who go on complaining all their…” quote by Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/herman-koch-7856_anger_i-let-them-do-some-simple-arithmetic-in_1940715.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/herman-koch-7856_anger_i-let-them-do-some-simple-arithmetic-in_1940715.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/herman-koch-7856_anger_i-let-them-do-some-simple-arithmetic-in_1940715.jpg) > ““I let them do some simple arithmetic. In a group of one hundred people, how many assholes are there? How many fathers who humiliate their children? How many morons whose breath stinks like rotten meat but who refuse to do anything about it? How many hopeless cases who go on complaining all their lives about the non-existent injustices they’ve had to suffer? Look around you, I said. How many of your classmates would you be pleased not to see return to their desks tomorrow morning? Think about that one family member of your own family, that irritating uncle with his pointless, horseshit stories at birthday parties, that ugly cousin who mistreats his cat. Think about how relieved you would be - and not only you, but virtually the entire family - if that uncle or cousin would step on a landmine or be hit by a five-hundred-pounder dropped from a high altitude. If that member of the family were to be wiped off the face of the earth. And now think about all those millions of victims of all the wars there have been in the past - I never specifically mentioned the Second World War, I used it as an example because it’s the one that most appeals to their imaginations - and think about the thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of victims who we need to have around like we need a hole in the head. Even from a purely statistical standpoint, it’s impossible that all those victims were good people, whatever kind of people that may be. The injustice is found more in the fact that the assholes are also put on the list of innocent victims. That their names are also chiselled into the war memorials.”” [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker imagines a grim tally of negative traits in people, suggesting that many would be relieved if certain harmful individuals vanished, highlighting the darkness of human judgment. **In simple terms:** Counting negative traits, wishing harm on others Key Takeaway Recognize the darkness but seek compassion over hatred. Themes human cruelty judgment violence statistics war morality Mood critical disturbing Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - counseling - education - media analysis Key Concepts psychology ethics social critique Questions to Reflect On - What would a compassionate view of humanity look like? - How can we address harm without wishing death? A Different Perspective The perspective is extreme, ignoring the value of empathy and the complexity of individuals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [Second world war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-world-war/) [Tomorrow morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow-morning/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) ## Related quotes > [“They hang around, hitting on your friends or else you never hear from them again. 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I can call it an ‘injustice,’ but that doesn’t always sink in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/i-can-say-it-but-it-doesn-t-seem-convincing-to-most-people-i-can-call/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [People are such assholes these days it makes my jaw drop -.-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/people-are-such-assholes-these-days-it-makes-my-jaw-drop/) Patience > [The world is divided by two different tribes. The people who are assholes and the people who are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/the-world-is-divided-by-two-different-tribes-the-people-who-are/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Most people are assholes you just have to find the right asshole who will be nice to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/most-people-are-assholes-you-just-have-to-find-the-right-asshole-who/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“Our theory is simply this: a person counts as an asshole when, and only when, he systematically allows himself to enjoy special advantages in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-james/our-theory-is-simply-this-a-person-counts-as-an-asshole-when-and-only/) [Aaron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-james/) > [I don't need art to tell me people are assholes. I can just go into the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/i-don-t-need-art-to-tell-me-people-are-assholes-i-can-just-go-into/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [You know who wears sunglasses inside? Blind people and assholes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-david/you-know-who-wears-sunglasses-inside-blind-people-and-assholes/) [Larry David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-david/) > [“My mistake was assuming that when I got to college, people would not be such assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/my-mistake-was-assuming-that-when-i-got-to-college-people-would-not/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [“from the poem Holographic Personality Disgrace : Some people are such assholes that saying, "Look, again, I'm sorry I cut off my thumb and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-pink/from-the-poem-holographic-personality-disgrace-some-people-are-such/) [Sam Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-pink/) > [I have no problem today letting people know I'm part of what they live. That's why I know about the things that make people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dice-clay/i-have-no-problem-today-letting-people-know-i-m-part-of-what-they/) [Andrew Dice Clay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dice-clay/) > [Few people become assholes reluctantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/few-people-become-assholes-reluctantly/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [“Domingo didn’t want to say that everyone was an asshole, but many people are assholes when you’re living in the streets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvia-moreno-garcia/domingo-didn-t-want-to-say-that-everyone-was-an-asshole-but-many/) [Silvia Moreno-Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvia-moreno-garcia/) ## More by Herman Koch > [“We looked at each other. At that moment, I was also a hundred percent sure that Van Dieren and I were thinking the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/we-looked-at-each-other-at-that-moment-i-was-also-a-hundred-percent/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [The stupid woman is the one who thinks she doesn’t need any help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/the-stupid-woman-is-the-one-who-thinks-she-doesn-t-need-any-help/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [“Christ, what an asshole!" Babette said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/christ-what-an-asshole-babette-said/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [“Some people might say it's not smart to be so insecure about what you wear. But that's not how I see it. 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It was the same fatigue and regret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/i-let-go-of-the-pump-as-well-now-i-registered-a-sense-of-fatigue-and/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [“Is it life threatening?” they asked. They said it slightly sotto voce, but you could hear the thirst for sensation right through it: when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/is-it-life-threatening-they-asked-they-said-it-slightly-sotto-voce/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [“happiness needs nothing but itself, it doesn’t have to be validated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/happiness-needs-nothing-but-itself-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-validated/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [Around here, we're as happy as God in France.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/around-here-we-re-as-happy-as-god-in-france/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [“...het was van dat weer dat je niet weet of het al avond wordt of dat de dag nog moet beginnen...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/het-was-van-dat-weer-dat-je-niet-weet-of-het-al-avond-wordt-of-dat-de/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) [Explore all 65 Herman Koch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I let them do some simple arithmetic. In a group of one hundred people, how many assholes are there? How many fathers who humiliate their children? How many morons whose breath stinks like rotten meat but who refuse to do anything about it? How many hopeless cases who go on complaining all their lives about the non-existent injustices they’ve had to suffer? Look around you, I said. How many of your classmates would you be pleased not to see return to their desks tomorrow morning? Think about that one family member of your own family, that irritating uncle with his pointless, horseshit stories at birthday parties, that ugly cousin who mistreats his cat. Think about how relieved you would be - and not only you, but virtually the entire family - if that uncle or cousin would step on a landmine or be hit by a five-hundred-pounder dropped from a high altitude. If that member of the family were to be wiped off the face of the earth. And now think about all those millions of victims of all the wars there have been in the past - I never specifically mentioned the Second World War, I used it as an example because it’s the one that most appeals to their imaginations - and think about the thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of victims who we need to have around like we need a hole in the head. Even from a purely statistical standpoint, it’s impossible that all those victims were good people, whatever kind of people that may be. 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