--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It wasn’t human nature to leave things…" description: "\"“It wasn’t human nature to leave things alone. It was normal for people to try to fix things that didn’t need to be fixed; or, infinitely worse, trying..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/119/tom-upton-16148_human-nature_it-wasn-t-human-nature-to-leave-things-a_1287631.jpg" --- # It wasn’t human nature to leave things alone. It was… ![“It wasn’t human nature to leave things alone. It was normal for people to try to fix things that didn’t need to be fixed; or, infinitely worse, trying to fix things that were broken, because some things are meant to be broken--” quote by Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/119/tom-upton-16148_human-nature_it-wasn-t-human-nature-to-leave-things-a_1287631.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/119/tom-upton-16148_human-nature_it-wasn-t-human-nature-to-leave-things-a_1287631.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/119/tom-upton-16148_human-nature_it-wasn-t-human-nature-to-leave-things-a_1287631.jpg) > ““It wasn’t human nature to leave things alone. It was normal for people to try to fix things that didn’t need to be fixed; or, infinitely worse, trying to fix things that were broken, because some things are meant to be broken--”” [Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-upton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans are driven to fix even what should remain untouched, exposing a compulsion to intervene that can cause harm. **In simple terms:** People try to fix things that don’t need fixing. Key Takeaway Recognize when to let things be. Themes intervention human nature control boundaries Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - technology design - environmental policy - personal relationships Key Concepts over‑repair hubris acceptance Questions to Reflect On - What should you let go of? - When is non‑intervention wiser? A Different Perspective Fixing everything can create new problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fix Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fix-things/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meant Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meant-broken-380330/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Things Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-broken-1686199/) [Trying Fix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-fix/) ## Related quotes > [People, it's not always about trying to fix things that are broken. 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I learned that from you..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/promises-are-meant-to-be-broken-i-learned-that-from-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is true to form, records are meant to be broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-spitz/life-is-true-to-form-records-are-meant-to-be-broken/) [Mark Spitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-spitz/) > [The golden rule in the arts, as far as I am concerned, is that all rules are meant to be broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/the-golden-rule-in-the-arts-as-far-as-i-am-concerned-is-that-all/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [People nowadays act like promises are meant to be broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-nowadays-act-like-promises-are-meant-to-be-broken/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tom Upton > [I figured it is always better to be unpopular by your own choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-upton/i-figured-it-is-always-better-to-be-unpopular-by-your-own-choice/) [Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-upton/) > [“All I did was offer to kill your dog, and the next thing I know I’m being judged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-upton/all-i-did-was-offer-to-kill-your-dog-and-the-next-thing-i-know-i-m/) [Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-upton/) > [Who in their right mind counts the tiles on the floor when they go visiting a neighbor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-upton/who-in-their-right-mind-counts-the-tiles-on-the-floor-when-they-go/) [Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-upton/) > [Every time there was an unspoken promise that this would be the last time, but it would only be the last time until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-upton/every-time-there-was-an-unspoken-promise-that-this-would-be-the-last/) [Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-upton/) > [“the landing the old man started to murmur, “Cold, cold water,” but neither one of us took much notice. “You know I nearly got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-upton/the-landing-the-old-man-started-to-murmur-cold-cold-water-but-neither/) [Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-upton/) > [“I don’t believe it! 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Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Selfishness is one of the principal fruits of the corruption of human nature; and it is obvious that selfishness disposes us to over-rate our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/selfishness-is-one-of-the-principal-fruits-of-the-corruption-of-human/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [Though there may be people in your life that support you and encourage you we have to realize that people are only human, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/though-there-may-be-people-in-your-life-that-support-you-and/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“I wasn't sure which I appreciated less—the insincere concern or the genuine indifference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-graham/i-wasn-t-sure-which-i-appreciated-less-the-insincere-concern-or-the/) [Arthur Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-graham/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. 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