--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Such is man's nature, that he is very…" description: "\"Such is man's nature, that he is very inactive and lazy unless he is influenced by some affection, either love or hatred, desire, hope, fear, or some o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/268/jonathan-edwards-770_affair_such-is-man-s-nature-that-he-is-very-ina_3189934.png" --- # Such is man's nature, that he is very inactive and lazy… ![“Such is man's nature, that he is very inactive and lazy unless he is influenced by some affection, either love or hatred, desire, hope, fear, or some other. These affections we see to be the springs that set men agoing, in all the affairs of life, and engage them in all their pursuits: these are…” quote by Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/268/jonathan-edwards-770_affair_such-is-man-s-nature-that-he-is-very-ina_3189934.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/268/jonathan-edwards-770_affair_such-is-man-s-nature-that-he-is-very-ina_3189934.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/268/jonathan-edwards-770_affair_such-is-man-s-nature-that-he-is-very-ina_3189934.png) > “Such is man's nature, that he is very inactive and lazy unless he is influenced by some affection, either love or hatred, desire, hope, fear, or some other. These affections we see to be the springs that set men agoing, in all the affairs of life, and engage them in all their pursuits: these are the things that put men forward, and carry them along.” [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human inactivity is overcome by strong emotions—love, hatred, desire, hope, fear—that propel action. **In simple terms:** Emotions drive people to act. Key Takeaway Identify and channel motivating emotions. Themes human nature motivation emotion action Mood inspirational thought‑provoking Type philosophical religious When to use this quote - goal setting - conflict resolution - personal growth Key Concepts philosophy theology psychology Questions to Reflect On - Which emotion most drives you? - Can negative emotions be constructive? A Different Perspective Rational planning alone may not inspire movement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affair/) [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Affections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affections/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Influenced Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influenced-affection-3351361/) [Laziness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laziness/) [Lazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lazy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Man Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-nature/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Things Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-men/) ## Related quotes > [All men, even the most surly are influenced by affection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/all-men-even-the-most-surly-are-influenced-by-affection/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“Since holiness is the main thing that excites, draws, and governs all gracious affections, it is no wonder that all such affections tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/since-holiness-is-the-main-thing-that-excites-draws-and-governs-all/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“It does not answer the aim which God had in this institution, merely for men to have good commentaries and expositions on the Scripture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/it-does-not-answer-the-aim-which-god-had-in-this-institution-merely/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“These are the words of a fool: I am happy to be a fool, for i won't spend my time gazing at lines difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/these-are-the-words-of-a-fool-i-am-happy-to-be-a-fool-for-i-won-t/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [The paintings may communicate even better because people are lazy and they can look at a painting with less effort than they can read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-paintings-may-communicate-even-better-because-people-are-lazy-and/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [People are not lazy they are on their ENERGY SAVING MODE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-angelo-de-leon/people-are-not-lazy-they-are-on-their-energy-saving-mode/) [Michael Angelo De Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-angelo-de-leon/) > [I suppose that there is no point wasting time being lazy, though of course indolence in a divine way, actually has its advantages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-suppose-that-there-is-no-point-wasting-time-being-lazy-though-of/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [I just would never go audition, and yet I was in very visible places where people would come looking for actors. I say I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-barkin/i-just-would-never-go-audition-and-yet-i-was-in-very-visible-places/) [Ellen Barkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-barkin/) > [It is my greatest misfortune to be too lazy, and by the few mortifications I have already set with on that account I predict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-allston/it-is-my-greatest-misfortune-to-be-too-lazy-and-by-the-few/) [Washington Allston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-allston/) > [“I'm a lazy man. With lazy dreams. I need Tai to wake me up, make me vibrate, irritate me. I need my angry woman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-m-a-lazy-man-with-lazy-dreams-i-need-tai-to-wake-me-up-make-me/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Find the leverage in the world so you can be truly lazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/find-the-leverage-in-the-world-so-you-can-be-truly-lazy/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [It is the individual's task to differentiate himself from all the others and stand on his own feet. All collective identities . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/it-is-the-individual-s-task-to-differentiate-himself-from-all-the/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [When over these time and you are still remain at the bottom, it's simply means that you are lazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/when-over-these-time-and-you-are-still-remain-at-the-bottom-it-s/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [“Don't you dare take the lazy way. It's too easy to excuse yourself because of your ancestry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/don-t-you-dare-take-the-lazy-way-it-s-too-easy-to-excuse-yourself/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) ## More by Jonathan Edwards > [The foundation of the Christian's peace is everlasting; it is what no time, no change can destroy. It will remain when the body dies;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-foundation-of-the-christian-s-peace-is-everlasting-it-is-what-no/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Every saint in heaven is as a flower in that garden of God, and holy love is the fragrance and sweet odor that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/every-saint-in-heaven-is-as-a-flower-in-that-garden-of-god-and-holy/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [God is glorified not only by His glory being seen, but by its being rejoiced in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/god-is-glorified-not-only-by-his-glory-being-seen-but-by-its-being/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [There is no way that Christians, in a private capacity, can do so much to promote the work of God and advance the kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/there-is-no-way-that-christians-in-a-private-capacity-can-do-so-much/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Godliness is more easily feigned in words than in actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/godliness-is-more-easily-feigned-in-words-than-in-actions/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Let the main thing that we prize in God’s house be, not the outward ornaments of it, or a high seat in it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/let-the-main-thing-that-we-prize-in-god-s-house-be-not-the-outward/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“But that is the nature of true grace and spiritual light, that it opens to a person's view the infinite reason there is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/but-that-is-the-nature-of-true-grace-and-spiritual-light-that-it/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“The most determining external influence on his style was unquestionably the old, so-called King James version of the English Bible. His language is saturated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-most-determining-external-influence-on-his-style-was/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Edwards sought to impose a new test of qualification. He required, namely, that the candidate for full communion should give evidence of being converted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/edwards-sought-to-impose-a-new-test-of-qualification-he-required/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [ “But it is doubtless true, and evident from \[the\] Scriptures, that the essence of all true religion lies in holy love; and that in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/but-it-is-doubtless-true-and-evident-from-the-scriptures-that-the/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Evangelical faith has the gospel of Christ for its foundation;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/evangelical-faith-has-the-gospel-of-christ-for-its-foundation/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Prop. II. There are many mansions in the house of God. By many mansions is meant many seats or places of abode.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/prop-ii-there-are-many-mansions-in-the-house-of-god-by-many-mansions/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [I resolve to live with all my might while I do live. I resolve never to lose one moment of time and to improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/i-resolve-to-live-with-all-my-might-while-i-do-live-i-resolve-never/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/and-now-you-have-an-extraordinary-opportunity-a-day-wherein-christ/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Christ gives peace to the most sinful and miserable that come to Him. He heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/christ-gives-peace-to-the-most-sinful-and-miserable-that-come-to-him/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) [Explore all 375 Jonathan Edwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) ## More Affair quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Our guiding principle was that design is neither an intellectual nor a material affair, but simply an integral part of the stuff of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gropius/our-guiding-principle-was-that-design-is-neither-an-intellectual-nor/) [Walter Gropius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gropius/) > [I wonder if it's possible to have a love affair that lasts forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-wonder-if-it-s-possible-to-have-a-love-affair-that-lasts-forever/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [For a young man to start his career with a love affair with an older woman was quite de rigueur ... Of course, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vita-sackville-west/for-a-young-man-to-start-his-career-with-a-love-affair-with-an-older/) [Vita Sackville-West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vita-sackville-west/) > [As long as the state permits itself to interfere in the affairs of literature, literature has the right to interfere with the affairs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/as-long-as-the-state-permits-itself-to-interfere-in-the-affairs-of/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [Love is mainly an affair of short spasms. If these spasms disappoint us, love dies. It is very seldom that it weathers the experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/love-is-mainly-an-affair-of-short-spasms-if-these-spasms-disappoint/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [The Fundamental Principle that governs - or ought to govern -human affairs if we wish to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, or pointless utopias, is negotiation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-fundamental-principle-that-governs-or-ought-to-govern-human/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [My hope does not rest in the affairs of this world. It rests in Christ who is coming again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/my-hope-does-not-rest-in-the-affairs-of-this-world-it-rests-in-christ/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Not everyone likes the stable, gradual rise of our country. There are some who are using the democratic ideology to interfere in our internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/not-everyone-likes-the-stable-gradual-rise-of-our-country-there-are/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atherton/the-archives-recall-not-one-single-incriminating-incident-not-one/) [Michael Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atherton/) > [“I ripped the sketch from the wall. "Liar." Edward looked more ravaged than usual. 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I don't believe the degree of betrayal is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-some-people-a-one-night-stand-doesn-t-make-any-difference-in-a/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [And what is literature, Rabo," he said, "but an insider's newsletter about affairs relating to molecules, of no importance to anything in the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-what-is-literature-rabo-he-said-but-an-insider-s-newsletter-about/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Browse all 2,218 Affair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Such is man's nature, that he is very inactive and lazy unless he is influenced by some affection, either love or hatred, desire, hope, fear, or some other. 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