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Famous David Livingstone Smith Quotes

“The impressive record of atrocities racked up by the human race does not suggest that our conduct is guided by sympathy for others.”

War History Violence Civilization Human Genocide

Book:The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

Source: The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

“To understand war, we must understand ourselves.”

Life War Animal Psychology Violence Evolution Human Genocide

Book:The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

Source: The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

“There are some truths that no one likes to hear, but it is precisely these that we need to pursue if we are to understand where war lives in human nature.”

Life War Animal Psychology Violence Evolution Human Genocide

Book:The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

Source: The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

“When enemy is thought of as filth, war is conceived as a grand hygiene operation.”

War History Violence Civilization Human Genocide

Book:The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

Source: The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

“War is both intensely horrible and exquisitely pleasurable. It is horrible because of the danger and suffering that soldiers and civilians endure, and the unavoidable guilt that comes with killing. It is pleasurable because -like all pleasures- it is something that benefited our ancient ancestors who were victors in the bloddy struggle for resources.”

War History Violence Civilization Human Genocide

Book:The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

Source: The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

“The joy of war is the joy of the huntm of bringing down game, of ridding the world of a man-eating monster or obliterating a plague.”

War History Violence Civilization Human Genocide

Book:The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

Source: The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

“Our relationship with killing is ambivalent, a compound of pleasure and aversion. Both are deeply rooted in human nature, and neither can be extirpated.”

War History Violence Civilization Human Genocide

Book:The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

Source: The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

“Our feelings of sympathy do not embrace all of humanity in equal measure. Some human beings matter to us. We care intensely about their well-being. Others do not matter very much, and still others do not matter at all. This is a hard saying, and may be difficult to accept but it is obviously and undeniably true.”

Love War Humanity History Violence Civilization Human Sympathy

Book:The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

Source: The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War

“It's through media that dehumanizing ideas are spread and reproduced. That's why totalitarians out a premium on destroying freedom of the press.”

War Violence Media Tiranny

Book:On Inhumanity: Dehumanization and How to Resist It

Source: On Inhumanity: Dehumanization and How to Resist It

“It's through media that dehumanizing ideas are spread and reproduced. That's why totalitarians puts a premium on destroying freedom of the press.”

War Violence Media Tiranny

Book:On Inhumanity: Dehumanization and How to Resist It

Source: On Inhumanity: Dehumanization and How to Resist It

About the Author

Known for: Author
Quotes: 14

Books & Sources

The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of WarRelated source material

On Inhumanity: Dehumanization and How to Resist ItRelated source material