---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man is the only animal that learns by…"
description: "\"Man is the only animal that learns by being hypocritical. He pretends to be polite and then, eventually, he becomes polite.\" — Jean Kerr"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/jean-kerr-9802_animal_man-is-the-only-animal-that-learns-by-be_211649.jpg"
---

#  Man is the only animal that learns by being hypocritical…

![“Man is the only animal that learns by being hypocritical. He pretends to be polite and then, eventually, he becomes polite.” quote by Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/jean-kerr-9802_animal_man-is-the-only-animal-that-learns-by-be_211649.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/jean-kerr-9802_animal_man-is-the-only-animal-that-learns-by-be_211649.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/jean-kerr-9802_animal_man-is-the-only-animal-that-learns-by-be_211649.jpg)

> “Man is the only animal that learns by being hypocritical. He pretends to be polite and then, eventually, he becomes polite.”

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Humans learn social behavior by mimicking hypocrisy, eventually internalizing the pretense.

**In simple terms:** People become polite by pretending first.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and correct insincere behavior early.

Themes

social learning hypocrisy behavioral adaptation

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

philosophical observational

When to use this quote

- workplace interactions
- political discourse
- family gatherings
- online forums

Key Concepts

psychology of conformity ethical development self-awareness

Questions to Reflect On

- When have you observed genuine politeness?
- Can hypocrisy ever be beneficial?

A Different Perspective

The statement oversimplifies moral growth, ignoring genuine altruism.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Polite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polite/)

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