The sick in soul insist that it is humanity that is sick, and they are the surgeons to operate on it. They want to turn the world into a sickroom. And once they get humanity strapped to the operating table, they operate on it with an ax.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Those who feel spiritually superior often claim to fix humanity but end up causing destruction. They treat people like patients needing harsh surgery.
- In plain terms
- People who think they are fixing the world often hurt it by forcing their ideas.
- What can you take from it?
- Ideological purity often leads to harsh treatment of others.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who decides what needs fixing?
- Is certainty always a virtue?
Another view
Some systemic problems do require radical intervention to solve.
More from Eric Hoffer
Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind.
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