---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unless, as human beings, we come not only…"
description: "\"“Unless, as human beings, we come not only to accept but to openly rejoice in our fundamental and inescapable nature as predators, we condemn ourselves..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/l-neil-smith-3636_guilt_unless-as-human-beings-we-come-not-only_409740.jpg"
---

#  Unless, as human beings, we come not only to accept but to…

![“Unless, as human beings, we come not only to accept but to openly rejoice in our fundamental and inescapable nature as predators, we condemn ourselves, as individuals and as a species, to unhappy, unnecessarily guilt-haunted lives. If we don’t allow ourselves to prey on other creatures, as is our…” quote by L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/l-neil-smith-3636_guilt_unless-as-human-beings-we-come-not-only_409740.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/l-neil-smith-3636_guilt_unless-as-human-beings-we-come-not-only_409740.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/l-neil-smith-3636_guilt_unless-as-human-beings-we-come-not-only_409740.jpg)

> ““Unless, as human beings, we come not only to accept but to openly rejoice in our fundamental and inescapable nature as predators, we condemn ourselves, as individuals and as a species, to unhappy, unnecessarily guilt-haunted lives. If we don’t allow ourselves to prey on other creatures, as is our nature, we’ll prey on ourselves and each other as we have throughout most of our agricultural history. Perhaps worse, soaked with guilt, however undeserved, we’ll continue handing our lives and minds over to any charlatan, however absurd, who offers us expiation, however false, for our sins, however imaginary.””

[L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/)

## About This Quote

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

Humans must acknowledge their predatory nature; denying it leads to guilt and susceptibility to false saviors.

**In simple terms:** Accepting our nature avoids guilt and manipulation.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and responsibly channel innate drives.

Themes

human nature guilt self‑deception

Mood

reflective cautionary

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- personal growth
- environmental policy
- mental health
- spiritual seeking

Key Concepts

predation psychology ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- How does acknowledging our primal instincts change our behavior?
- What healthy outlets can replace harmful predation?

A Different Perspective

Ignoring innate impulses can foster self‑destruction and blind faith.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Allow Prey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allow-prey-3655764/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature Predators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-predators-3655765/) [Predators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predators/) [Predators Condemn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predators-condemn-3655763/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/)

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> [Food ... love ... mother ... career ... Live every day to the fullest. Partake of the four basic guilt groups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-guisewite/food-love-mother-career-live-every-day-to-the-fullest-partake-of-the/)

[Cathy Guisewite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-guisewite/)

> [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/)

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> [Regrets are just a way for the foolish and the guilty to pass the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gensoumaden-saiyuki/regrets-are-just-a-way-for-the-foolish-and-the-guilty-to-pass-the-time/)

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> [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/)

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[Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/)

> [Never fight on the wrong side; you might win but the burden of guilt is more than a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-salan/never-fight-on-the-wrong-side-you-might-win-but-the-burden-of-guilt/)

[Lilian Salan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-salan/)

## More by L. Neil Smith

> [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/)

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[Explore all 125 L. Neil Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/)

## More Guilt quotes

> [Never fight on the wrong side; you might win but the burden of guilt is more than a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-salan/never-fight-on-the-wrong-side-you-might-win-but-the-burden-of-guilt/)

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[Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/)

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