--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men must have somewhat altered the course…" description: "\"Men must have somewhat altered the course of nature; for they were not born wolves, yet they have become wolves. God did not give them twenty-four-poun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/voltaire-173_bankruptcy_men-must-have-somewhat-altered-the-cours_1787075.jpg" --- # Men must have somewhat altered the course of nature; for… ![“Men must have somewhat altered the course of nature; for they were not born wolves, yet they have become wolves. God did not give them twenty-four-pounders or bayonets, yet they have made themselves bayonets and guns to destroy each other. In the same category I place not only bankruptcies, but…” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/voltaire-173_bankruptcy_men-must-have-somewhat-altered-the-cours_1787075.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/voltaire-173_bankruptcy_men-must-have-somewhat-altered-the-cours_1787075.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acd/voltaire-173_bankruptcy_men-must-have-somewhat-altered-the-cours_1787075.jpg) > “Men must have somewhat altered the course of nature; for they were not born wolves, yet they have become wolves. God did not give them twenty-four-pounders or bayonets, yet they have made themselves bayonets and guns to destroy each other. In the same category I place not only bankruptcies, but the law which carries off the bankrupts’ effects, so as to defraud their creditors.” [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. Humans, though not naturally savage, create tools of destruction, turning society into a battlefield where law and finance become weapons. **In simple terms:** People become their own monsters. Key Takeaway Beware self‑inflicted harm. Themes human nature violence law Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical political When to use this quote - war - economic crises - legal systems - technological arms Key Concepts philosophy political critique Questions to Reflect On - Can we change our self‑destructive path? - What role does law play in protecting society? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex social dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bankruptcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bankruptcy/) [Creditors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creditors/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) ## Related quotes > [“mankind have a little corrupted nature, for they were not born wolves, and they have become wolves; God has given them neither cannon of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/mankind-have-a-little-corrupted-nature-for-they-were-not-born-wolves/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Pangloss explained to him how everything was so constituted that it could not be better. James was not of this opinion. 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