--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The human race is unimportant. It is the…" description: "\"The human race is unimportant. It is the self that must not be betrayed.\" \"I suppose one could say that Hitler didn't betray his self.\" \"You are right...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/john-fowles-816_be-good_the-human-race-is-unimportant-it-is-the_2183008.png" --- # The human race is unimportant. It is the self that must… ![“The human race is unimportant. It is the self that must not be betrayed." "I suppose one could say that Hitler didn't betray his self." "You are right. He did not. But millions of Germans did betray their selves. That was the tragedy. Not that one man had the courage to be evil. But that millions…” quote by John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/john-fowles-816_be-good_the-human-race-is-unimportant-it-is-the_2183008.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/john-fowles-816_be-good_the-human-race-is-unimportant-it-is-the_2183008.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/john-fowles-816_be-good_the-human-race-is-unimportant-it-is-the_2183008.png) > “The human race is unimportant. It is the self that must not be betrayed." "I suppose one could say that Hitler didn't betray his self." "You are right. He did not. But millions of Germans did betray their selves. That was the tragedy. Not that one man had the courage to be evil. But that millions had not the courage to be good.” [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human importance lies in personal integrity; many fail to act morally, showing that collective failure outweighs individual evil. **In simple terms:** Personal integrity matters more than individual evil. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal integrity. Themes morality human nature integrity Mood thoughtful philosophical Type literary reflective When to use this quote - war - personal decisions - social responsibility - historical reflection Key Concepts betrayal courage good vs evil Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to betray oneself? - How can societies foster moral courage? A Different Perspective Some argue systemic factors shape behavior more than individual choice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Betrayal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hitler/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The human race is unimportant. It is the self that must not be betrayed.' 'I suppose one could say that Hitler didn't betray his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/the-human-race-is-unimportant-it-is-the-self-that-must-not-be-2/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [Even Hitler didn't wake up going, 'Let me do the most evil thing I can do today.' I think he woke up in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/even-hitler-didn-t-wake-up-going-let-me-do-the-most-evil-thing-i-can/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [ \[Adolf\] Hitler didn't discuss politics or military with Eva \[Braun\]. Not once. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretl-braun/adolf-hitler-didn-t-discuss-politics-or-military-with-eva-braun-not/) [Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretl-braun/) > [I get the feeling," Alec said, and smiled, "she hasn't forgiven me for betraying you, as she sees it." 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