I have found little that is 'good' about human beings on the whole. In my experience most of them are trash, no matter whether they publicly subscribe to this or that ethical doctrine or to none at all.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Freud expresses a deeply pessimistic view of human nature, calling most people trash regardless of ethics.
- In plain terms
- Freud believes most human beings are worthless no matter what they claim to believe.
- What can you take from it?
- Be wary of idealizing human nature.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is human nature mostly flawed?
- How do you judge people?
Another view
It is an extreme generalization that ignores human capacity for good.
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