--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Human beings, for all our…" description: "\"“Human beings, for all our accomplishments, can be fragile animals. Most of us don't take criticism well at all.”\" — Steven D. Levitt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/steven-d-levitt-5284_animals_human-beings-for-all-our-accomplishments_111069.jpg" --- # Human beings, for all our accomplishments, can be fragile… ![“Human beings, for all our accomplishments, can be fragile animals. Most of us don't take criticism well at all.” quote by Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/steven-d-levitt-5284_animals_human-beings-for-all-our-accomplishments_111069.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/steven-d-levitt-5284_animals_human-beings-for-all-our-accomplishments_111069.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/steven-d-levitt-5284_animals_human-beings-for-all-our-accomplishments_111069.jpg) > ““Human beings, for all our accomplishments, can be fragile animals. Most of us don't take criticism well at all.”” [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even highly accomplished humans are emotionally fragile; most struggle with criticism. **In simple terms:** We’re fragile and dislike criticism. Key Takeaway Accomplishment doesn’t immunize against emotional vulnerability. Themes psychology humility feedback human nature Mood reflective cautious Type psychological observational When to use this quote - performance reviews - academic peer review - creative collaborations Key Concepts cognitive bias self‑esteem Practical Applications - Create safe feedback environments - Teach resilience to criticism Questions to Reflect On - What practices can turn criticism into growth? - Why do high achievers often react strongly to feedback? A Different Perspective Some individuals thrive on critique, suggesting a spectrum rather than a universal fragility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Fragile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fragile/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [Implicit in the activist conception of government is the assumption that you can take the good things in a complex system for granted, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/implicit-in-the-activist-conception-of-government-is-the-assumption/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Human beings are fragile things, and for the period of time it takes to get them to Mars and back, you have dangerous radiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-allen/human-beings-are-fragile-things-and-for-the-period-of-time-it-takes/) [Paul Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-allen/) > [To be nonviolent to human beings and to be a killer or enemy of the poor animals is Satan's philosophy. 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If he does not get enough to eat, he is miserable; or if something happens to his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-animal-man-lives-in-the-senses-if-he-does-not-get-enough-to-eat/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Few human creatures would consent to be changed into any of the lower animals for a promise of the fullest allowance of a beast's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/few-human-creatures-would-consent-to-be-changed-into-any-of-the-lower/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Human beings are what I think of as "biomythic" animals: we're controlled largely by the stories we tell. When we get the story wrong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-keen/human-beings-are-what-i-think-of-as-biomythic-animals-we-re/) [Sam Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-keen/) > [Those who die, merely suffering the woes of life like cats and dogs, are they human beings? 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No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Steven D. Levitt > [“Here is the broader point: whatever problem you're trying to solve, make sure you're not just attacking the noisy part of the problem that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/here-is-the-broader-point-whatever-problem-you-re-trying-to-solve/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“The ECLS data do show, for instance, that a child with a lot of books in his home tends to test higher than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/the-ecls-data-do-show-for-instance-that-a-child-with-a-lot-of-books/) [Steven D. 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Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [ “\[...\]if you are hoping to damage opponents' mental health, go ahead and tell them how inferior or dim-witted or nasty they are. But even… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/if-you-are-hoping-to-damage-opponents-mental-health-go-ahead-and-tell/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“If asked how we'd behave in a situation that pits a private benefit against the greater good, most of us won't admit to favoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/if-asked-how-we-d-behave-in-a-situation-that-pits-a-private-benefit/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“The impulse to investigate can only be set free if you stop pretending to know answers that you don't. Because the incentives to pretend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/the-impulse-to-investigate-can-only-be-set-free-if-you-stop/) [Steven D. 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Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“For until you can admit what you don't yet know, it's virtually impossible to learn what you need to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/for-until-you-can-admit-what-you-don-t-yet-know-it-s-virtually/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“Sometimes in life, going straight up the middle is the boldest move of all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/sometimes-in-life-going-straight-up-the-middle-is-the-boldest-move-of/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“When it comes to solving problems, one of the best ways to start is by putting away your moral compass. Why? When you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/when-it-comes-to-solving-problems-one-of-the-best-ways-to-start-is-by/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“Most of us want to fix or change the world in some fashion. But to change the world, you first have to understand it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/most-of-us-want-to-fix-or-change-the-world-in-some-fashion-but-to/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) [Explore all 98 Steven D. Levitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) ## More Animals quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? 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