--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The humanitarian would, of course, have…" description: "\"The humanitarian would, of course, have us meddle in foreign affairs as part of his program of world service.\" — Irving Babbitt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/irving-babbitt-17242_affair_the-humanitarian-would-of-course-have-us_1159618.jpg" --- # The humanitarian would, of course, have us meddle in… ![“The humanitarian would, of course, have us meddle in foreign affairs as part of his program of world service.” quote by Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/irving-babbitt-17242_affair_the-humanitarian-would-of-course-have-us_1159618.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/irving-babbitt-17242_affair_the-humanitarian-would-of-course-have-us_1159618.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/irving-babbitt-17242_affair_the-humanitarian-would-of-course-have-us_1159618.jpg) > “The humanitarian would, of course, have us meddle in foreign affairs as part of his program of world service.” [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The humanitarian ideal often leads to interference in foreign affairs under the guise of global service. **In simple terms:** Humanitarianism can justify foreign meddling. Key Takeaway Critically assess motives behind interventions. Themes humanitarianism foreign policy ethics Mood critical skeptical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - international aid - military action - diplomacy - NGO work Key Concepts interventionism national sovereignty moral duty Questions to Reflect On - Is all humanitarian aid truly altruistic? - How to balance global service with respecting sovereignty? 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But across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zanny-minton-beddoes/german-predominance-is-not-all-encompassing-in-foreign-affairs-and/) [Zanny Minton Beddoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zanny-minton-beddoes/) > [I don't believe I'll ever get credit for anything I do in foreign affairs, no matter how successful it is, because I didn't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-don-t-believe-i-ll-ever-get-credit-for-anything-i-do-in-foreign/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) ## More by Irving Babbitt > [Robespierre, however, was not the type of leader finally destined to emerge from the Revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/robespierre-however-was-not-the-type-of-leader-finally-destined-to/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [The ultimate binding element in the medieval order was subordination to the divine will and its earthly representatives, notably the pope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/the-ultimate-binding-element-in-the-medieval-order-was-subordination/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [For behind all imperialism is ultimately the imperialistic individual, just as behind all peace is ultimately the peaceful individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/for-behind-all-imperialism-is-ultimately-the-imperialistic-individual/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [It is well to open one's mind but only as a preliminary to closing it ... for the supreme act of judgment and selection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/it-is-well-to-open-one-s-mind-but-only-as-a-preliminary-to-closing-it/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [To harmonize the One with the Many, this is indeed a difficult adjustment, perhaps the most difficult of all, and so important, withal, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/to-harmonize-the-one-with-the-many-this-is-indeed-a-difficult/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [We must not, however, be like the leaders of the great romantic revolt who, in their eagerness to get rid of the husk of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/we-must-not-however-be-like-the-leaders-of-the-great-romantic-revolt/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [Perhaps as good a classification as any of the main types is that of the three lusts distinguished by traditional Christianity - the lust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/perhaps-as-good-a-classification-as-any-of-the-main-types-is-that-of/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [Furthermore, America suffers not only from a lack of standards, but also not infrequently from a confusion or an inversion of standards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/furthermore-america-suffers-not-only-from-a-lack-of-standards-but/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [An American of the present day reading his Sunday newspaper in a state of lazy collapse is one of the most perfect symbols of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/an-american-of-the-present-day-reading-his-sunday-newspaper-in-a/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [Inasmuch as society cannot go on without discipline of some kind, men were constrained, in the absence of any other form of discipline, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/inasmuch-as-society-cannot-go-on-without-discipline-of-some-kind-men/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [If quantitatively the American achievement is impressive, qualitatively it is somewhat less satisfying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/if-quantitatively-the-american-achievement-is-impressive/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [Very few of the early Italian humanists were really humane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/very-few-of-the-early-italian-humanists-were-really-humane/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [A man needs to look, not down, but up to standards set so much above his ordinary self as to make him feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/a-man-needs-to-look-not-down-but-up-to-standards-set-so-much-above/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [Anyone who thus looks up has some chance of becoming worthy to be looked up to in turn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/anyone-who-thus-looks-up-has-some-chance-of-becoming-worthy-to-be/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [A remarkable feature of the humanitarian movement, on both its sentimental and utilitarian sides, has been its preoccupation with the lot of the masses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/a-remarkable-feature-of-the-humanitarian-movement-on-both-its/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) [Explore all 37 Irving Babbitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) ## More Affair quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. 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