Indeed, I greatly fear that for most of our people those implanted 'humanitarian' hallucinations are so deep and inveterate that they can be broken, if at all, only by the terrible shock of physical suffering. And that they will surely receive.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The author fears humanitarian ideals are so ingrained that only suffering can break them.
- In plain terms
- People care too much about others and will only change through pain.
- What can you take from it?
- Consider whether hardship is necessary to change deep-seated beliefs.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can pain teach empathy?
- Is suffering necessary to change beliefs?
Another view
The quote suggests suffering is a necessary tool for change, which is ethically dubious.
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