--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Human nature is good, just as water seeks…" description: "\"Human nature is good, just as water seeks low ground. There is no man who is not good, just as there is no water that does not flow downward.\" — Mencius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/mencius-3576_doe_human-nature-is-good-just-as-water-seeks_2583593.png" --- # Human nature is good, just as water seeks low ground… ![“Human nature is good, just as water seeks low ground. There is no man who is not good, just as there is no water that does not flow downward.” quote by Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/mencius-3576_doe_human-nature-is-good-just-as-water-seeks_2583593.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/mencius-3576_doe_human-nature-is-good-just-as-water-seeks_2583593.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/mencius-3576_doe_human-nature-is-good-just-as-water-seeks_2583593.png) > “Human nature is good, just as water seeks low ground. There is no man who is not good, just as there is no water that does not flow downward.” [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) ## 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 is inherently good, likened to water’s natural flow toward lower ground. **In simple terms:** People are naturally good. Key Takeaway Cultivate innate goodness. Themes human nature morality philosophy Mood optimistic thoughtful Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - education - leadership - social policy Key Concepts Confucianism natural law Questions to Reflect On - How do you nurture goodness? - What societal factors hinder virtue? A Different Perspective Goodness can be suppressed by environment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flow/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [Humility forms the basis of honor, just as the low ground forms the foundation of a high elevation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/humility-forms-the-basis-of-honor-just-as-the-low-ground-forms-the/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [If you let people follow their feelings, they will be able to do good. This is what is meant by saying that human nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/if-you-let-people-follow-their-feelings-they-will-be-able-to-do-good/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [“Do not lie on low ground, the torrent will take you off; do not lie on high ground, the wind will take you away”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-doctor/do-not-lie-on-low-ground-the-torrent-will-take-you-off-do-not-lie-on/) [Raj Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-doctor/) > [All the spring may be hidden in the single bud, and the low ground nest of the lark may hold the joy that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/all-the-spring-may-be-hidden-in-the-single-bud-and-the-low-ground/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [No mother who stands upon low ground herself can hope to place her children upon a loftier plane. They may reach it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-caroline-dorr/no-mother-who-stands-upon-low-ground-herself-can-hope-to-place-her/) [Julia Caroline Dorr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-caroline-dorr/) > [It is easy to find the solution to get the car lower to the ground, but by doing that solution it will make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-russell/it-is-easy-to-find-the-solution-to-get-the-car-lower-to-the-ground/) [George Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-russell/) > [Water indeed will flow indifferently to the east or west, but will it flow indifferently up or down? The tendency of our nature to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/water-indeed-will-flow-indifferently-to-the-east-or-west-but-will-it/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [“Historically, nature has been very good at surprising us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-carroll/historically-nature-has-been-very-good-at-surprising-us/) [Sean Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-carroll/) > [Our buddha nature is as good as any buddha’s buddha nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/our-buddha-nature-is-as-good-as-any-buddha-s-buddha-nature/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [For nature is good, an man is 'by nature' good; it is civilization which ruins him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/for-nature-is-good-an-man-is-by-nature-good-it-is-civilization-which/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [That nature only is good when it shall not do unto another whatever is not good for its own self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-steichen/that-nature-only-is-good-when-it-shall-not-do-unto-another-whatever/) [Edward Steichen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-steichen/) > [“People aren’t good by nature. They’re good by nurture.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kody-boye/people-aren-t-good-by-nature-they-re-good-by-nurture/) Kody Boye > [Everything that depends on the action of nature is by nature as good as it can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/everything-that-depends-on-the-action-of-nature-is-by-nature-as-good/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Nature is a good name for an effect whose cause is God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/nature-is-a-good-name-for-an-effect-whose-cause-is-god/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Protecting our wild and wonderful landscape is good for nature, good for tourism and good for West Virginia's economy and quality of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-justice/protecting-our-wild-and-wonderful-landscape-is-good-for-nature-good/) [Jim Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-justice/) ## More by Mencius > [The fruit of humanity is devotion to one's parents. The fruit of righteousness is to respect one's elders. The fruit of wisdom is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/the-fruit-of-humanity-is-devotion-to-one-s-parents-the-fruit-of/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [People are eager to comment on something when they themselves are not in the situation of doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/people-are-eager-to-comment-on-something-when-they-themselves-are-not/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Truth uttered before its time is dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/truth-uttered-before-its-time-is-dangerous/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Only when someone refuses to do certain things will he be capable of doing great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/only-when-someone-refuses-to-do-certain-things-will-he-be-capable-of/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [The disease of men is that they neglect their own fields and go to weed the fields of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/the-disease-of-men-is-that-they-neglect-their-own-fields-and-go-to/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [People can have a long-term life plan only if they know their private property is secure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/people-can-have-a-long-term-life-plan-only-if-they-know-their-private/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Is it only the mouth and belly which are injured by hunger and thirst? Men's minds are also injured by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/is-it-only-the-mouth-and-belly-which-are-injured-by-hunger-and-thirst/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Mankind fears an evil man but heaven does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/mankind-fears-an-evil-man-but-heaven-does-not/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Water indeed will flow indifferently to the east or west, but will it flow indifferently up or down? The tendency of our nature to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/water-indeed-will-flow-indifferently-to-the-east-or-west-but-will-it/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [When the men of antiquity realized their wishes, benefits were conferred by them on the people. If they did not realize their wishes, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/when-the-men-of-antiquity-realized-their-wishes-benefits-were/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [If the King loves music, it is well with the land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/if-the-king-loves-music-it-is-well-with-the-land/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [The poor attend to their own virtue in solitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/the-poor-attend-to-their-own-virtue-in-solitude/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [There is the work of great men and there is the work of little men. Therefore it is said, 'Some labor with their minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/there-is-the-work-of-great-men-and-there-is-the-work-of-little-men/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [There is a power in everything; it is the job of the artist to determine it and express it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/there-is-a-power-in-everything-it-is-the-job-of-the-artist-to/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [All people have the common desire to be elevated in honour, but all people have something still more elevated in themselves without knowing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/all-people-have-the-common-desire-to-be-elevated-in-honour-but-all/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) [Explore all 125 Mencius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) ## More Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. 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The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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