Birth Quote by Murray Stein
““Just as the migratory and nest-building instincts of birds were never learnt or acquired individually, man brings with him at birth the ground-plan of his nature, and not only of his individual nature but of his collective nature. These inherited systems correspond to the human situations that have existed since primeval times: youth and old age, birth and death, sons and daughters, father and mothers, mating, and so on. Only the individual consciousness experiences these things for the first time, but not the bodily system and the unconscious.””
About This Quote
Human nature has innate instincts shared across individuals, forming a collective blueprint of life stages and relationships.
In simple terms: Innate instincts guide life’s universal patterns.
Key Takeaway
Recognize shared human instincts.
Themes
human nature
instincts
collective
life stages
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
academic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education
- therapy
- cross‑cultural study
Key Concepts
anthropology
psychology
evolutionary biology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do innate instincts shape behavior?
- What is the balance between individuality and collective nature?
A Different Perspective
Complexity may be oversimplified.
![“The order of nature [is] that individual happiness shall be inseparable from the practice of virtue.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b81/thomas-jefferson-43_character_the-order-of-nature-is-that-individual-h_1022487.jpg)
![“What is wrong with being too much? With being too big? With being openly sexual, openly emotional -- with having "no calmness or content except when the needs of [your] individual nature were satisfied," as Martineau wrote of Wollstonecraft -- or even with being openly unhappy? Only this…” quote by Sady Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7cb/sady-doyle-82905_dual-nature_what-is-wrong-with-being-too-much-with-b_2962369.jpg)
