Skip to content

Animals Quote by Jonathan Swift

“A sort of animals, to whose share, [...] some small pittance of reason had fallen, whereof we made no other use, than to aggravate our natural corruptions, and to acquire new ones, which nature had not given us; that we disarmed ourselves of the few abilities she had bestowed; hand been very…” quote by Jonathan Swift
Download Open image
““A sort of animals, to whose share, [...] some small pittance of reason had fallen, whereof we made no other use, than to aggravate our natural corruptions, and to acquire new ones, which nature had not given us; that we disarmed ourselves of the few abilities she had bestowed; hand been very successful in multiplying our wants, and seemed to spent our whole lives in vain endeavors to supply them by our own inventions.””

Jonathan Swift

About This Quote

Source Book: Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, 1726

Human beings often waste their limited reason on creating unnecessary desires and inventions, worsening their natural flaws.

In simple terms: People misuse reason to create needless wants.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and curb needless pursuits.

Themes

human nature reason desire corruption

Mood

reflective critical thoughtful

Type

philosophical satirical

When to use this quote

  • consumerism
  • technology development
  • personal growth
  • environmental impact

Key Concepts

philosophy satire psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • What desires have you created that serve no real purpose?
  • How can you align your actions with essential needs?
A Different Perspective

Our rationality can be misdirected, leading to endless cycles of desire.

4.0 out of 5 (5 ratings)

More by Jonathan Swift

Explore all 535 Jonathan Swift quotes

More Animals quotes

Browse all 6,815 Animals quotes