--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you believe,' said Candide, 'that men…" description: "\"“Do you believe,' said Candide, 'that men have always massacred each other as they do to-day, that they have always been liars, cheats, traitors, ingra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/voltaire-173_said-candide_do-you-believe-said-candide-that-men-hav_1403221.png" --- # Do you believe,' said Candide, 'that men have always… ![“Do you believe,' said Candide, 'that men have always massacred each other as they do to-day, that they have always been liars, cheats, traitors, ingrates, brigands, idiots, thieves, scoundrels, gluttons, drunkards, misers, envious, ambitious, bloody-minded, calumniators, debauchees, fanatics…” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/voltaire-173_said-candide_do-you-believe-said-candide-that-men-hav_1403221.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/voltaire-173_said-candide_do-you-believe-said-candide-that-men-hav_1403221.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/voltaire-173_said-candide_do-you-believe-said-candide-that-men-hav_1403221.png) > ““Do you believe,' said Candide, 'that men have always massacred each other as they do to-day, that they have always been liars, cheats, traitors, ingrates, brigands, idiots, thieves, scoundrels, gluttons, drunkards, misers, envious, ambitious, bloody-minded, calumniators, debauchees, fanatics, hypocrites, and fools?' Do you believe,' said Martin, 'that hawks have always eaten pigeons when they have found them?”” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## 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 portrayed as consistently violent and deceitful across history, questioning moral progress. **In simple terms:** People have always been cruel and dishonest. Key Takeaway Recognize recurring flaws in humanity. Themes philosophy human nature history Mood cynical reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - political analysis - ethical debates - education - literary criticism Key Concepts moral relativism cynicism satire Questions to Reflect On - Can we find examples of inherent goodness? - How does satire shape our view of humanity? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize and ignore altruism and progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eaten Pigeons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eaten-pigeons-4923005/) [Fanatics Hypocrites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fanatics-hypocrites-4923004/) [Men Massacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-massacred-3214673/) [Said Candide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-candide-3173809/) [Scoundrels Gluttons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scoundrels-gluttons-4923006/) ## Related quotes > [Do you think... that men have always massacred each other, as they do today? Have they always been liars, cheats, traitors, brigands, weak, flighty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/do-you-think-that-men-have-always-massacred-each-other-as-they-do/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Do you believe," said Martin, "that hawks have always eaten pigeons when they have found them?" "Yes, without doubt," said Candide. "Well, then," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/do-you-believe-said-martin-that-hawks-have-always-eaten-pigeons-when/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [You're a bitter man," said Candide. That's because I've lived," said Martin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/you-re-a-bitter-man-said-candide-that-s-because-i-ve-lived-said-martin/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Sir, you think doubtless that all is for the best in the moral and physical world, and that nothing could be otherwise than it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/sir-you-think-doubtless-that-all-is-for-the-best-in-the-moral-and/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“How many plays have been written in France?' Candide asked the abbe. 'Five or six thousand.' 'That's a lot,' said Candide. 'How many of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/how-many-plays-have-been-written-in-france-candide-asked-the-abbe/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“What's Optimism?' asked Cacambo. 'I'm afraid to say,' said Candide, 'that it's a mania for insisting that all is well when things are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/what-s-optimism-asked-cacambo-i-m-afraid-to-say-said-candide-that-it/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Said Candide to Cacambo: My friend, you see how perishable are the riches of this world; there is nothing solid but virtue, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/said-candide-to-cacambo-my-friend-you-see-how-perishable-are-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“My dear miss," said Candide, "when one is in love, jealous, and has been whipped by the Inquisition, one becomes a stranger to oneself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/my-dear-miss-said-candide-when-one-is-in-love-jealous-and-has-been/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Do you think,” said Candide, “that mankind always massacred one another as they do now? Were they always guilty of lies, fraud, treachery, ingratitude,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/do-you-think-said-candide-that-mankind-always-massacred-one-another/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Is it true that they always laugh in Paris?” said Candide. “Yes,” said the Abbé, “but it means nothing, for they complain of everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/is-it-true-that-they-always-laugh-in-paris-said-candide-yes-said-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Were you ever in France, Mr. Martin?" said Candide. "Yes," said Martin, "I have been in several provinces. In some one-half of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/were-you-ever-in-france-mr-martin-said-candide-yes-said-martin-i-have/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## More by Voltaire > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Fanaticism, to which men are so much inclined, has always served not only to render them more brutalized but more wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/fanaticism-to-which-men-are-so-much-inclined-has-always-served-not/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We’re neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-do-the-best-we-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/meslier-was-the-most-singular-phenomenon-ever-seen-among-all-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Being unable to make people more reasonable, I preferred to be happy away from them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/being-unable-to-make-people-more-reasonable-i-preferred-to-be-happy/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [When his highness sends a ship to Egypt, does he trouble his head whether the mice on board are at their ease or not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/when-his-highness-sends-a-ship-to-egypt-does-he-trouble-his-head/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Madness is to think of too many things in succession too fast, or of one thing too exclusively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/madness-is-to-think-of-too-many-things-in-succession-too-fast-or-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/god-gave-us-the-gift-of-life-it-is-up-to-us-to-give-ourselves-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-not-inequality-which-is-the-real-misfortune-it-is-dependence/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Providence has given us hope and sleep as a compensation for the many cares of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/providence-has-given-us-hope-and-sleep-as-a-compensation-for-the-many/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Men use thought only to justify their wrong doings, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/men-use-thought-only-to-justify-their-wrong-doings-and-employ-speech/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/work-spares-us-from-three-evils-boredom-vice-and-need/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Explore all 934 Voltaire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## More Said Candide quotes > [“What's Optimism?' asked Cacambo. 'I'm afraid to say,' said Candide, 'that it's a mania for insisting that all is well when things are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/what-s-optimism-asked-cacambo-i-m-afraid-to-say-said-candide-that-it/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [You're a bitter man," said Candide. That's because I've lived," said Martin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/you-re-a-bitter-man-said-candide-that-s-because-i-ve-lived-said-martin/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Sir, you think doubtless that all is for the best in the moral and physical world, and that nothing could be otherwise than it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/sir-you-think-doubtless-that-all-is-for-the-best-in-the-moral-and/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“How many plays have been written in France?' Candide asked the abbe. 'Five or six thousand.' 'That's a lot,' said Candide. 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In some one-half of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/were-you-ever-in-france-mr-martin-said-candide-yes-said-martin-i-have/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Said Candide to Cacambo: My friend, you see how perishable are the riches of this world; there is nothing solid but virtue, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/said-candide-to-cacambo-my-friend-you-see-how-perishable-are-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“My dear miss," said Candide, "when one is in love, jealous, and has been whipped by the Inquisition, one becomes a stranger to oneself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/my-dear-miss-said-candide-when-one-is-in-love-jealous-and-has-been/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Do you think,” said Candide, “that mankind always massacred one another as they do now? Were they always guilty of lies, fraud, treachery, ingratitude,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/do-you-think-said-candide-that-mankind-always-massacred-one-another/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Is it true that they always laugh in Paris?” said Candide. “Yes,” said the Abbé, “but it means nothing, for they complain of everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/is-it-true-that-they-always-laugh-in-paris-said-candide-yes-said-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Browse all 10 Said Candide quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-candide-3173809/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Do you believe,' said Candide, 'that men have always massacred each other as they do to-day, that they have always been liars, cheats, traitors, ingrates, brigands, idiots, thieves, scoundrels, gluttons, drunkards, misers, envious, ambitious, bloody-minded, calumniators, debauchees, fanatics, hypocrites, and fools?' 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