--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humanity? Don't be silly. I know. It is…" description: "\"“Humanity? Don't be silly. I know. It is knocking down your fellow-men for the sake of your own happiness.”\" — Osamu Dazai" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/320/osamu-dazai-2813_humanity_humanity-don-t-be-silly-i-know-it-is-kno_1165001.jpg" --- # Humanity? Don't be silly. I know. It is knocking down your… ![“Humanity? Don't be silly. I know. It is knocking down your fellow-men for the sake of your own happiness.” quote by Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/320/osamu-dazai-2813_humanity_humanity-don-t-be-silly-i-know-it-is-kno_1165001.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/320/osamu-dazai-2813_humanity_humanity-don-t-be-silly-i-know-it-is-kno_1165001.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/320/osamu-dazai-2813_humanity_humanity-don-t-be-silly-i-know-it-is-kno_1165001.jpg) > ““Humanity? Don't be silly. I know. It is knocking down your fellow-men for the sake of your own happiness.”” [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A cynical view that people harm others for personal gain, highlighting selfishness and moral decay. **In simple terms:** People hurt others for their own happiness. Key Takeaway Beware selfish motives in actions. Themes selfishness morality human nature Mood cynical somber Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - political leadership - business decisions - personal relationships Key Concepts existentialism nihilism Questions to Reflect On - What drives individuals to prioritize self over others? - Can society foster genuine concern? A Different Perspective Ignores altruistic behavior and capacity for empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ## Related quotes > [Men for the sake of getting a living forget to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fuller/men-for-the-sake-of-getting-a-living-forget-to-live/) [Margaret Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fuller/) > [I'm into humanity. I don't believe in God, but I believe in human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/i-m-into-humanity-i-don-t-believe-in-god-but-i-believe-in-human-beings/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [To me the greatest problem with humanity is that they don't know anything of meditation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/to-me-the-greatest-problem-with-humanity-is-that-they-don-t-know/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“I do have faith in humanity but I don’t have faith in humans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/i-do-have-faith-in-humanity-but-i-don-t-have-faith-in-humans/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [“Anyway, in the interim since I turned writer—a good thirty years—I have hobnobbed with all varieties of man, from the highest to the lowest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/anyway-in-the-interim-since-i-turned-writer-a-good-thirty-years-i/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Screw humanity. I don't give the whole stinking bunch of us more than a couple of generations and good riddance. The universe is better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/screw-humanity-i-don-t-give-the-whole-stinking-bunch-of-us-more-than/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [“Wisdom increases and is a burden. I know too many people and why I should love them, and the thought that I love them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roethke/wisdom-increases-and-is-a-burden-i-know-too-many-people-and-why-i/) [Theodore Roethke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roethke/) > [There are no nations! There is only humanity. And if we don't come to understand that right soon, there will be no nations, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/there-are-no-nations-there-is-only-humanity-and-if-we-don-t-come-to/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [The way I look at humanity, I don't think there's good guys or bad guys. We're all potentially bad and potentially good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stellan-skarsgard/the-way-i-look-at-humanity-i-don-t-think-there-s-good-guys-or-bad/) [Stellan Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stellan-skarsgard/) > [Give us a man of God's own mould Born to marshall his fellow-men; One whose fame is not bought and sold At the stroke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clarence-stedman/give-us-a-man-of-god-s-own-mould-born-to-marshall-his-fellow-men-one/) [Edmund Clarence Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clarence-stedman/) > [Have I done aught of value to my fellow-men? Then have I done much for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/have-i-done-aught-of-value-to-my-fellow-men-then-have-i-done-much-for/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [No man has any natural authority over his fellow men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/no-man-has-any-natural-authority-over-his-fellow-men/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The good opinion of our fellow men is the strongest, though not the purest motive to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/the-good-opinion-of-our-fellow-men-is-the-strongest-though-not-the/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [In the depths of my heart I can’t help being convinced that my dear fellow-men, with a few exceptions, are worthless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/in-the-depths-of-my-heart-i-can-t-help-being-convinced-that-my-dear/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [There is always a type of man who says he loves his fellow men, and expects to make a living at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/there-is-always-a-type-of-man-who-says-he-loves-his-fellow-men-and/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) ## More by Osamu Dazai > [I want to spend my time with people who don't look to be respected. But such good people won't want to spend their time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/i-want-to-spend-my-time-with-people-who-don-t-look-to-be-respected/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [“Disqualified as a human being. I had now ceased utterly to be a human being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/disqualified-as-a-human-being-i-had-now-ceased-utterly-to-be-a-human/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [I was afraid to board a streetcar because of the conductor; I was afraid to enter the Kabuki Theater for fear of the usherettes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/i-was-afraid-to-board-a-streetcar-because-of-the-conductor-i-was/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [“Tomorrow will probably be another day like today. Happiness will never come my way. I know that. But it's probably best to go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/tomorrow-will-probably-be-another-day-like-today-happiness-will-never/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [“When I pretended to be precocious, people started the rumor that I was precocious. When I acted like an idler, rumor had it I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/when-i-pretended-to-be-precocious-people-started-the-rumor-that-i-was/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [One day, I went to a soba restaurant outside town, and while I was waiting for the zarusoba I opened an old graph magazine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/one-day-i-went-to-a-soba-restaurant-outside-town-and-while-i-was/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [“I feel so unhappy.” I am sure that this one phrase whispered to me would arouse my sympathy more than the longest, most painstaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/i-feel-so-unhappy-i-am-sure-that-this-one-phrase-whispered-to-me/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [I soon came to understand that drink, tobacco and prostitutes were all great means if dissipating (even for a few moments) my dread for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/i-soon-came-to-understand-that-drink-tobacco-and-prostitutes-were-all/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [“Of late a gloomy rain has been falling almost incessantly. Whatever I do depresses me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/of-late-a-gloomy-rain-has-been-falling-almost-incessantly-whatever-i/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [“All I feel are the assaults of apprehension and terror at the thought that I am the only one who is entirely unlike the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/all-i-feel-are-the-assaults-of-apprehension-and-terror-at-the-thought/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [Last year nothing happened The year before nothing happened And the year before that nothing happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/last-year-nothing-happened-the-year-before-nothing-happened-and-the/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [“Disqualified as a human being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/disqualified-as-a-human-being/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [“Logic, inevitably, is the love of logic. It is not the love for living human beings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/logic-inevitably-is-the-love-of-logic-it-is-not-the-love-for-living/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [I like roses best. But they bloom in all four seasons. I wonder if people who like roses best have to die four times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/i-like-roses-best-but-they-bloom-in-all-four-seasons-i-wonder-if/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [But happiness is being able to hope, however faintly, for happiness. So, at least, we must believe if we are to live in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/but-happiness-is-being-able-to-hope-however-faintly-for-happiness-so/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) [Explore all 135 Osamu Dazai quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) ## More Fellow men quotes > [There is always a type of man who says he loves his fellow men, and expects to make a living at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/there-is-always-a-type-of-man-who-says-he-loves-his-fellow-men-and/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [In the depths of my heart I can’t help being convinced that my dear fellow-men, with a few exceptions, are worthless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/in-the-depths-of-my-heart-i-can-t-help-being-convinced-that-my-dear/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [The good opinion of our fellow men is the strongest, though not the purest motive to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/the-good-opinion-of-our-fellow-men-is-the-strongest-though-not-the/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [No man has any natural authority over his fellow men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/no-man-has-any-natural-authority-over-his-fellow-men/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Have I done aught of value to my fellow-men? Then have I done much for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/have-i-done-aught-of-value-to-my-fellow-men-then-have-i-done-much-for/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [Give us a man of God's own mould Born to marshall his fellow-men; One whose fame is not bought and sold At the stroke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clarence-stedman/give-us-a-man-of-god-s-own-mould-born-to-marshall-his-fellow-men-one/) [Edmund Clarence Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clarence-stedman/) > [Write me as one who loves his fellow men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-hunt/write-me-as-one-who-loves-his-fellow-men/) [Leigh Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-hunt/) > [I have the utmost respect for the different faiths professed by my fellow men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leverett-saltonstall/i-have-the-utmost-respect-for-the-different-faiths-professed-by-my/) [Leverett Saltonstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leverett-saltonstall/) > [“Make your fellow men know by your actions in the days when you can reach them and help them, you appreciate their real worth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-brown/make-your-fellow-men-know-by-your-actions-in-the-days-when-you-can/) Curt Brown > [Be Grateful to the Man you help, think of Him as God. Is it not a great privilege to be allowed to worship God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/be-grateful-to-the-man-you-help-think-of-him-as-god-is-it-not-a-great/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [If there be gods we cannot help them, but we can assist our fellow men. We cannot love the inconceivable, but we can love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-there-be-gods-we-cannot-help-them-but-we-can-assist-our-fellow-men/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [In civilized life, where the happiness and indeed almost the existence of man, depends on the opinion of his fellow men. He is constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-collier/in-civilized-life-where-the-happiness-and-indeed-almost-the-existence-2/) [Jeremy Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-collier/) > [We are expected to put the utmost energy, of every power that we have, into the service of our fellow men, never sparing ourselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/we-are-expected-to-put-the-utmost-energy-of-every-power-that-we-have/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works for the welfare of his fellow-men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-becomes-great-exactly-in-the-degree-in-which-he-works-for-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“You can often judge the character of a person by the way he treats his fellow men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-archer/you-can-often-judge-the-character-of-a-person-by-the-way-he-treats/) [Jeffrey Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-archer/) Browse all 43 Fellow men quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Humanity? 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