--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Astonishing, really, that they still look…" description: "\"“Astonishing, really, that they still look human. They ought to look like megaphones, like screams, like brutal desires, like beery ecstasies... like d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/joseph-roth-14460_motivation_astonishing-really-that-they-still-look_2281749.jpg" --- # Astonishing, really, that they still look human. They… ![“Astonishing, really, that they still look human. They ought to look like megaphones, like screams, like brutal desires, like beery ecstasies... like decadent barism. But the unconscious drive to remain in God's image seems to be so strong that not even the six-day races can quite eradicate it.” quote by Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/joseph-roth-14460_motivation_astonishing-really-that-they-still-look_2281749.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/joseph-roth-14460_motivation_astonishing-really-that-they-still-look_2281749.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/joseph-roth-14460_motivation_astonishing-really-that-they-still-look_2281749.jpg) > ““Astonishing, really, that they still look human. They ought to look like megaphones, like screams, like brutal desires, like beery ecstasies... like decadent barism. But the unconscious drive to remain in God's image seems to be so strong that not even the six-day races can quite eradicate it.”” [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human nature retains divine aspirations despite brutal instincts, showing a conflict between higher ideals and base desires. **In simple terms:** Humans still seek God’s image despite dark urges. Key Takeaway Recognize and balance higher and lower drives. Themes humanity divinity desire conflict identity Mood contemplative melancholic introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - art criticism - religious debate - personal introspection - social analysis Key Concepts theology psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What drives humanity toward both creation and destruction? - How can societies nurture the divine aspect? A Different Perspective The “six‑day races” metaphor may oversimplify complex motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Like Megaphones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-megaphones-5327813/) [Like Screams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-screams-1646856/) [Look Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-human-1274028/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Really Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-look-248460/) [Screams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screams/) ## Related quotes > [“Quotes ain’t all that useful. Fact is, there’s more concise ways to express what you’re feelin’, like screams and moans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-humphreys/quotes-ain-t-all-that-useful-fact-is-there-s-more-concise-ways-to/) [M.C. Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-humphreys/) > [When you are listening to someone you respect, treat their whispers like screams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramit-sethi/when-you-are-listening-to-someone-you-respect-treat-their-whispers/) [Ramit Sethi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramit-sethi/) > [“Sometimes you catch something specific like the screams and cries of people trying to hold on to each other before they're swallowed into other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-summers/sometimes-you-catch-something-specific-like-the-screams-and-cries-of/) [Courtney Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-summers/) > [“I hold his gaze until the chaos outside breaks my concentration. Outside, where everything is falling, landing and breaking at once. Sometimes you catch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-summers/i-hold-his-gaze-until-the-chaos-outside-breaks-my-concentration/) [Courtney Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-summers/) > [Humans need to touch each other. We need to look at each other... We are human creatures, meant to be linked... So, yes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-gregoire-trudeau/humans-need-to-touch-each-other-we-need-to-look-at-each-other-we-are/) [Sophie Gregoire Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-gregoire-trudeau/) > [“Doesn't take much to look human, two eyes, two ears, one nose, couple of limbs here and there, and you're done, but to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/doesn-t-take-much-to-look-human-two-eyes-two-ears-one-nose-couple-of/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [When I look at the human brain I'm still in awe of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/when-i-look-at-the-human-brain-i-m-still-in-awe-of-it/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [If we can look at another human being and categorise them as 'illegal,' or that chilling American word 'alien,' then what has become of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/if-we-can-look-at-another-human-being-and-categorise-them-as-illegal/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) > [I try to be good to myself. Look, we're human and people have differences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-try-to-be-good-to-myself-look-we-re-human-and-people-have/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I do not look upon human beings as good or bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/i-do-not-look-upon-human-beings-as-good-or-bad/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [Look at us human beings: it's so much easier to be right than to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/look-at-us-human-beings-it-s-so-much-easier-to-be-right-than-to-love/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [I think the actresses who are really successful are comfortable in their own skins and still look human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/i-think-the-actresses-who-are-really-successful-are-comfortable-in/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [When you say 'Black is beautiful' you are saying, 'Man you are okay as you are, begin to look upon yourself as a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/when-you-say-black-is-beautiful-you-are-saying-man-you-are-okay-as/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [“Do I look human enough to pass in the day?" "Yes, Suze. You do if you're looking to be a bouncer at a strip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emi-gayle/do-i-look-human-enough-to-pass-in-the-day-yes-suze-you-do-if-you-re/) [Emi Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emi-gayle/) > [I would like my pictures to look as if a human being had passed between them, like a snail, leaving a trail of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-would-like-my-pictures-to-look-as-if-a-human-being-had-passed/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## More by Joseph Roth > [“Never yet has such furious movement brought in its train such slowness in the passage of time. Everything is spinning, only time stands still.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/never-yet-has-such-furious-movement-brought-in-its-train-such/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [“Above all there's a lack of personal discipline, manners, decorum, natural discretion. If everyone causes their own individual catastrophes, how can there fail to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/above-all-there-s-a-lack-of-personal-discipline-manners-decorum/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [“The good man believed that shortsighted people were also deaf and that their spectacles would become clearer if their ears heard more sharply.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/the-good-man-believed-that-shortsighted-people-were-also-deaf-and/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [A moving shadow means more to us than a body at rest. We are no longer taken in by a fixed grin. We know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/a-moving-shadow-means-more-to-us-than-a-body-at-rest-we-are-no-longer/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [“The world to come will be like this triangular railroad junction, raised to some unknown power. The earth has lived through several evolutionary stages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/the-world-to-come-will-be-like-this-triangular-railroad-junction/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [ “\[O\]ur relationship with nature has become warped. You see, nature has acquired a purpose where we are concerned. Its task is to amuse us.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/o-ur-relationship-with-nature-has-become-warped-you-see-nature-has/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [That is originally why the concept evolved to include accessories. We found that furniture sells better when you show it with accessories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/that-is-originally-why-the-concept-evolved-to-include-accessories-we/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [That was how things were back then. Anything that grew took its time growing, and anything that perished took a long time to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/that-was-how-things-were-back-then-anything-that-grew-took-its-time/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [“Somebody cracks a joke, a whole row laughs, one witticism sets off another, and, like matches, they flare up and burn down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/somebody-cracks-a-joke-a-whole-row-laughs-one-witticism-sets-off/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [“A skyscraper is the incarnate rebellion against the supposedly unattainable; against the mystery of altitude, against the otherworldliness of the cerulean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/a-skyscraper-is-the-incarnate-rebellion-against-the-supposedly/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [“Of course the merchandise appears to be cheaper. Because where there are so many things close together, they can hardly help not thinking of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/of-course-the-merchandise-appears-to-be-cheaper-because-where-there/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [Although the noise of the chattering clientele is much more significant than the topics of their chatter, it does finally constitute that type of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/although-the-noise-of-the-chattering-clientele-is-much-more/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [“The weeping willows, on the other hand, are evocative of death. They are a little contrived, a little exaggerated, still green in the middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/the-weeping-willows-on-the-other-hand-are-evocative-of-death-they-are/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [A lot of truths about the living world are recorded in bad books; they are just badly written about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/a-lot-of-truths-about-the-living-world-are-recorded-in-bad-books-they/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > [“Because human nature will not deny its weaknesses, even where it is seemingly in the process of overcoming them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/because-human-nature-will-not-deny-its-weaknesses-even-where-it-is/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) [Explore all 41 Joseph Roth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) ## More Motivation quotes > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [Every human creates his own problems. Problems are ones private property and we shouldnt meddle into them self-initiatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-papian/every-human-creates-his-own-problems-problems-are-ones-private/) [Ruben Papian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-papian/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [“Now you," Grandma barks at him. "Yes, you, the invisible truck driver," she added, giving me a wicked grin. "Go stand next to Rose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/now-you-grandma-barks-at-him-yes-you-the-invisible-truck-driver-she/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-not-willing-to-learn-no-one-can-help-you-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Have a Blast; Life wont last! Make the best of the journey before it is over!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-a-blast-life-wont-last-make-the-best-of-the-journey-before-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is like riding on a bus. God is the driver and I am the passenger. Have faith God knows which route to take.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefroy-hanson/life-is-like-riding-on-a-bus-god-is-the-driver-and-i-am-the-passenger/) [Jefroy Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefroy-hanson/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) [Browse all 14,479 Motivation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Astonishing, really, that they still look human. They ought to look like megaphones, like screams, like brutal desires, like beery ecstasies... like decadent barism. But the unconscious drive to remain in God's image seems to be so strong that not even the six-day races can quite eradicate it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Roth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/astonishing-really-that-they-still-look-human-they-ought-to-look-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Motivation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/astonishing-really-that-they-still-look-human-they-ought-to-look-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/joseph-roth-14460_motivation_astonishing-really-that-they-still-look_2281749.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/joseph-roth-14460_motivation_astonishing-really-that-they-still-look_2281749.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/joseph-roth-14460_motivation_astonishing-really-that-they-still-look_2281749.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Astonishing, really, that they still look human. They ought to look like megaphones, like screams, like…” — Joseph Roth", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joseph Roth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Astonishing, really, that they still look...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/astonishing-really-that-they-still-look-human-they-ought-to-look-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/astonishing-really-that-they-still-look-human-they-ought-to-look-like/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```