--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The earth would be covered with men…" description: "\"“The earth would be covered with men amongst whom there world would be almost no communication; we would make contact at some points without being unit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_communication_the-earth-would-be-covered-with-men-amon_1159288.png" --- # The earth would be covered with men amongst whom there… ![“The earth would be covered with men amongst whom there world would be almost no communication; we would make contact at some points without being united by a single one; everyone would remain isolated amongst the rest, everyone would think only of himself; our understanding would not develop; we…” quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_communication_the-earth-would-be-covered-with-men-amon_1159288.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_communication_the-earth-would-be-covered-with-men-amon_1159288.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_communication_the-earth-would-be-covered-with-men-amon_1159288.png) > ““The earth would be covered with men amongst whom there world would be almost no communication; we would make contact at some points without being united by a single one; everyone would remain isolated amongst the rest, everyone would think only of himself; our understanding would not develop; we would live without sensing anything, we would die without having lived; our entire happiness would consist of not knowing our misery; there would be neither goodness in our hearts, nor morality in our actions, and we would never have tasted the most delicious sentiment of the soul, which is the love of virtue.”” [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rousseau warns that without social bonds and shared values, humanity becomes isolated, lacking moral growth and true happiness. **In simple terms:** Isolation prevents moral and emotional development. Key Takeaway Foster community and shared virtue. Themes isolation morality community human nature virtue Mood reflective concerned Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - education reform - community building - public policy - mental health initiatives Key Concepts social contract moral philosophy human flourishing Questions to Reflect On - How can societies encourage genuine moral connections? - What practices nurture collective virtue? A Different Perspective Human nature also seeks connection; isolation can be mitigated by intentional relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Hearts Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearts-morality-3312979/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-virtue/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Rest Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest-think-576049/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [And what is faith, love, virtue unassayed Alone, without exterior help sustained?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-what-is-faith-love-virtue-unassayed-alone-without-exterior-help/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [You must know, rest in, think through, and act upon your new identity - you are in Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-b-ferguson/you-must-know-rest-in-think-through-and-act-upon-your-new-identity/) [Sinclair B. 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I have, I think, a chip on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brady/it-s-never-come-easy-for-me-i-don-t-think-my-mind-allows-me-to-rest/) [Tom Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brady/) > [Novelists in particular love to rhapsodize about the glory of the solitary mind; this is natural, because their job requires them to sit in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-thompson/novelists-in-particular-love-to-rhapsodize-about-the-glory-of-the/) [Clive Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-thompson/) > [If I rest, if I think inward, I go mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/if-i-rest-if-i-think-inward-i-go-mad/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I think that the Almighty gave springtime to a tired world so that its peoples might know rest. I think that He gave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-elizabeth-sangster/i-think-that-the-almighty-gave-springtime-to-a-tired-world-so-that/) [Margaret Elizabeth Sangster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-elizabeth-sangster/) > [Love Virtue, she alone is free, She can teach ye how to climb Higher than the sphery chime; Or, if Virtue feeble were, Heav'n…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/love-virtue-she-alone-is-free-she-can-teach-ye-how-to-climb-higher/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Love is a virtue; it grows stronger and purer and less selfish by applying it to what it loathes; but theft is a vice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/love-is-a-virtue-it-grows-stronger-and-purer-and-less-selfish-by/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) ## More by Jean-Jacques Rousseau > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Take the course opposite to custom and you will almost always do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/take-the-course-opposite-to-custom-and-you-will-almost-always-do-well/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Everything we do not have at our birth and which we need when we are grown is given to us by education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/everything-we-do-not-have-at-our-birth-and-which-we-need-when-we-are/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The first person who, having enclosed a plot of land, took it into his head to say this is mine and found people simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-first-person-who-having-enclosed-a-plot-of-land-took-it-into-his/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [...in respect of riches, no citizen shall ever be wealthy enough to buy another, and none poor enough to be forced to sell himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/in-respect-of-riches-no-citizen-shall-ever-be-wealthy-enough-to-buy/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Take from the philosopher the pleasure of being heard and his desire for knowledge ceases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/take-from-the-philosopher-the-pleasure-of-being-heard-and-his-desire/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Men, in general, are not this or that, they are what they are made to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/men-in-general-are-not-this-or-that-they-are-what-they-are-made-to-be/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I would rather be a man of paradoxes than a man of prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/i-would-rather-be-a-man-of-paradoxes-than-a-man-of-prejudices/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“O Fabricius! What would your great soul have thought, if to your own misfortune you had been called back to life and had seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/o-fabricius-what-would-your-great-soul-have-thought-if-to-your-own/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“The sword wears out its sheath, as it is sometimes said. That is my story. My passions have made me live, and my passions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-sword-wears-out-its-sheath-as-it-is-sometimes-said-that-is-my/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Whence do I get my rules of conduct? I find them in my heart. Whatever I feel to be good is good. Whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/whence-do-i-get-my-rules-of-conduct-i-find-them-in-my-heart-whatever/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“If one divided all of human science into two parts - the one common to all men, the other particular to the learned -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/if-one-divided-all-of-human-science-into-two-parts-the-one-common-to/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The social compact sets up among the citizens as equality of such kind, that they all bind themselves to observe the same conditions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-compact-sets-up-among-the-citizens-as-equality-of-such/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I do not know is a phrase which becomes us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/i-do-not-know-is-a-phrase-which-becomes-us/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“How could I become wicked, when I had nothing but examples of gentleness before my eyes, and none around me but the best people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/how-could-i-become-wicked-when-i-had-nothing-but-examples-of/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) [Explore all 518 Jean-Jacques Rousseau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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