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Human Nature Quotes

Browse 4693 quotes about Human Nature.

Human Nature Quotes

“Man is a tragic animal. Not because of his smallness, but because he is too well endowed. Man has longings and spiritual demands that reality cannot fulfill. We have expectations of a just and moral world. Man requires meaning in a meaningless world.”

“H. G. Wells was not the only one to mention Churchill and Hitler in the same breath: "Churchill and Hitler are striving to change the nature of their respective countrymen by forcing and hammering violent methods on them. Man may be suppressed in this manner but he cannot be changed. Ahimsa [non-violence in the Hindu tradition], on the other hand, can change human nature and sooner than men like Churchill and Hitler."”

Men Humans Wells May Hands Violence Human Nature Changed Tradition Breaths Method Strive Violent Non Violence Countrymen Ahimsa

Author:Mahatma Gandhi

“I'm a minimalist. I see things in simple ways...It's human nature to define complexity as better. Well, it's not.”

Way Humans Wells Simple Human Nature Complexity Minimalist Simple Ways

Author:Gordon Willis

“Human nature has been sold short...[humans have] a higher nature which...includes the need for meaningful work, for responsibility, for creativeness, for being fair and just, for doing what is worthwhile and for preferring to do it well.”

Needs Humans Wells Has Beens Responsibility Human Nature Higher Fairs Meaningful Worthwhile Creativeness Meaningful Work

Author:Abraham Maslow

“It is a general rule of human nature that people despise those who treat them well, and look up to those who make no concessions.”

People Humans Wells Looks Politics Human Nature Treats Look Up Despise Concessions

Book:Athens at war

Source: Athens at war

“It is true that water will flow indifferently to east and west, but will it flow equally well up and down? Human nature is disposed toward goodness, just as water tends to flow downwards. There is no water but flows downwards, and no man but shows his tendency to be good. Now, by striking water hard, you may splash it higher than your forehead, and by damming it, you may make it go uphill. But, is that the nature of water? It is external force that causes it to do so. Likewise, if a man is made to do what is not good, his nature is being similarly forced.”

Ifs Men Humans Wells May Made Hard Shows Force Causes Water Human Nature Higher Goodness Flow West East Be Good Tendencies Up And Down Foreheads East And West External Forces

Author:Mencius

“It is usually the case with most men that their nature is so constituted that they pity those who fare badly and envy those who fare well.”

Men Wells Cases Human Nature Envy Pity

Author:Baruch Spinoza

“Those who would extirpate evil from the world know little of human nature. As well might punch be palatable without souring as existence agreeable without care.”

Knows World Humans Wells Littles Might Care Evil Existence Human Nature

Book:London Journal, 1762-1763, as First Published in 1950 from the Original Manuscript

Source: London Journal, 1762-1763, as First Published in 1950 from the Original Manuscript

“I got disappointed in human nature as well and gave it up because I found it too much like my own.”

Humans Wells Found My Own Too Much Human Nature Disappointed

Book:A Fairy Tale of New York

Source: A Fairy Tale of New York