Common Quote by Larry McMurtry
“If we know anything about man, it's that he's not pacific. The temptation to butcher anyone considered undesirable seems to be a common temptation, not always resisted.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Lonesome Dove, 1985
Human nature includes a recurring urge to eliminate those deemed undesirable, often unchecked.
In simple terms: People often want to destroy those they dislike.
Key Takeaway
Guard against dehumanizing impulses.
Themes
violence
human nature
morality
Mood
somber
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- justice reform
- peacebuilding
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
psychology
social conflict
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives the urge to harm others?
- How can societies curb such impulses?
A Different Perspective
Not all individuals resist this temptation.
![“We were all illegal at one point and we were all unwanted at one point. Somebody in our family, if not us, was undesirable, and yet here we are. And this moral equivalence that this president [Barak Obama] makes is part and parcel of his effort to tear down the greatness and the uniqueness of this…” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0f4/rush-limbaugh-28_barak-obama_we-were-all-illegal-at-one-point-and-we_303751.jpg)
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
