Aggression Quote by Ryszard Kapuściński
““Two lusts breed in the soul of man: the lust for aggresion, and the lust for telling lies. If one will not allow himself to wrong others, he will wrong himself. If he doesn't come across anyone to lie to, he will lie to himself in his own thoughts.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Lies Within,” 2005
Human nature harbors aggression and deceit; denying harm to others leads to self‑harm, and lacking an audience for lies causes self‑deception.
In simple terms: People lie to themselves when they cannot lie to others.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and confront internal falsehoods.
Themes
ethics
psychology
self‑deception
aggression
Mood
introspective
cautionary
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- leadership
- mental health
- self‑reflection
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
truth
inner conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you ever tell yourself lies?
- What triggers your aggressive impulses?
A Different Perspective
Self‑deception can be rationalized, making it hard to break the cycle.
![“Now they [the Powers] have started the aggression, and the extinction of our nation is imminent. If we just fold our arms and yield to them, I would have no face to see our ancestors after death. If we must perish, why not fight to the death?” quote by Empress Dowager Cixi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/947/empress-dowager-cixi-68177_after-death_now-they-the-powers-have-started-the-agg_53275.jpg)
