--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We believe in the inherent goodness of man." description: "\"We believe in the inherent goodness of man.\" — Steven Biko" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/steven-biko-10985_believe_we-believe-in-the-inherent-goodness-of-m_1703395.png" --- # We believe in the inherent goodness of man. ![“We believe in the inherent goodness of man.” quote by Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/steven-biko-10985_believe_we-believe-in-the-inherent-goodness-of-m_1703395.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/steven-biko-10985_believe_we-believe-in-the-inherent-goodness-of-m_1703395.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/steven-biko-10985_believe_we-believe-in-the-inherent-goodness-of-m_1703395.png) > “We believe in the inherent goodness of man.” [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) ## 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 fundamentally good, and societies should nurture that innate virtue. **In simple terms:** People are naturally good. Key Takeaway Trust and foster innate goodness. Themes human nature optimism social justice Mood hopeful idealistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education reform - community building - restorative justice Key Concepts psychology philosophy political theory Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions nurture innate goodness? - What barriers hinder natural virtue? A Different Perspective Goodness can be suppressed by systemic oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Inherent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-inherent-1173783/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Goodness Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness-man-564202/) [Inherent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inherent/) [Inherent Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inherent-goodness-1173782/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [You have to believe that there is some inherent value in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-g/you-have-to-believe-that-there-is-some-inherent-value-in-yourself/) [Alex G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-g/) > [Without goodness a man cannot endure adversity for long, nor can he enjoy prosperity for long. The good man is naturally at ease with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/without-goodness-a-man-cannot-endure-adversity-for-long-nor-can-he/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [On good days, I can see the inherent goodness in people, and that human beings have a high capacity to learn and adapt. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/on-good-days-i-can-see-the-inherent-goodness-in-people-and-that-human/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [“My wish is that this book will help you uncover you inherent goodness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ann-mulligan/my-wish-is-that-this-book-will-help-you-uncover-you-inherent-goodness/) [Beth Ann Mulligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ann-mulligan/) > [Nelson Mandela once remarked that he befriended his jailers, those grim, khaki-clad overseers of his decades of hard labor in a limestone quarry, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ian-barasch/nelson-mandela-once-remarked-that-he-befriended-his-jailers-those/) [Marc Ian Barasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ian-barasch/) > [Lo! ye believers in gods all goodness, and in man all ill, lo you! see the omniscient gods oblivious of suffering man; and man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/lo-ye-believers-in-gods-all-goodness-and-in-man-all-ill-lo-you-see/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“To be young and in love. 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Her devotion to doing things the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/han-kang/she-had-believed-in-her-own-inherent-goodness-her-humanity-and-lived/) [Han Kang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/han-kang/) > [“I think the nature of faith is love an love of the goodness in man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobsha-learner/i-think-the-nature-of-faith-is-love-an-love-of-the-goodness-in-man/) [Tobsha Learner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobsha-learner/) > [Does God want goodness or the choice of goodness? Is a man who chooses to be bad perhaps in some way better than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/does-god-want-goodness-or-the-choice-of-goodness-is-a-man-who-chooses/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [Listen to people and treat people as you find them. There's an inherent goodness in most people. Don't pre-judge people - that was me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-bean/listen-to-people-and-treat-people-as-you-find-them-there-s-an/) [Sean Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-bean/) > [However far modern science and techniques have fallen short of their inherent possibilities, they have taught mankind at least one lesson; nothing is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/however-far-modern-science-and-techniques-have-fallen-short-of-their/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [It seemed to me that the human beings I met reacted pretty much the same to the same stimuli. Different idioms,yes. Circumstances and conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/it-seemed-to-me-that-the-human-beings-i-met-reacted-pretty-much-the/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [This tendency to avoid problems and the emotional suffering inherent in them is the primary basis of all human mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/this-tendency-to-avoid-problems-and-the-emotional-suffering-inherent/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) ## More by Steven Biko > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [I am against the fact that a settler minority should impose an entire system of values on an indigenous people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/i-am-against-the-fact-that-a-settler-minority-should-impose-an-entire/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [The wealth of the country must eventually be enjoyed by people of the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/the-wealth-of-the-country-must-eventually-be-enjoyed-by-people-of-the/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [When you say 'Black is beautiful' you are saying, 'Man you are okay as you are, begin to look upon yourself as a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/when-you-say-black-is-beautiful-you-are-saying-man-you-are-okay-as/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [Black Consciousness seeks to infuse the black community with a new-found pride in themselves, their efforts, their value systems, their culture, their religion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/black-consciousness-seeks-to-infuse-the-black-community-with-a-new/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [If one is free at heart, no man-made chains can bind one to servitude, but if one's mind is so manipulated and controlled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/if-one-is-free-at-heart-no-man-made-chains-can-bind-one-to-servitude/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [The blacks are tired of standing at the touchlines to witness a game that they should be playing. They want to do things for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/the-blacks-are-tired-of-standing-at-the-touchlines-to-witness-a-game/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [In a bid for change, we have to take off our coats, be prepared to lose our comfort and security, our jobs and positions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/in-a-bid-for-change-we-have-to-take-off-our-coats-be-prepared-to-lose/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [The press is largely directed at white society or the so-called electorate whose values are laced with racial prejudice against black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/the-press-is-largely-directed-at-white-society-or-the-so-called/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [Sure there are a few good whites just as much as there are a few bad Blacks. However what we are concerned here with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/sure-there-are-a-few-good-whites-just-as-much-as-there-are-a-few-bad/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [Apartheid - both petty and grand - is obviously evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/apartheid-both-petty-and-grand-is-obviously-evil/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [We believe it is the duty of the vanguard political movement which brings change to educate people's outlook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-believe-it-is-the-duty-of-the-vanguard-political-movement-which/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [The black man has become a shell, a shadow of man, completely defeated, drowning in his own misery, a slave, an ox bearing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/the-black-man-has-become-a-shell-a-shadow-of-man-completely-defeated/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [It becomes more necessary to see the truth as it is if you realise that the only vehicle for change are these people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/it-becomes-more-necessary-to-see-the-truth-as-it-is-if-you-realise/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [To a large extent the evil-doers have succeeded in producing at the output end of their machine a kind of black man who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/to-a-large-extent-the-evil-doers-have-succeeded-in-producing-at-the/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) [Explore all 62 Steven Biko quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. 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