Man is an evasive beast, given to cultivating strange notions about himself. He is humiliated by his simian ancestry, and tries to deny his animal nature, to persuade himself that he is not limited by its weaknesses nor concerned in its fate. And this impulse may be harmless, when it is genuine. But what are we to say when we see the formulas of heroic self-deception made use of by unheroic self-indulgence? What are we to say when we see asceticism preached to the poor by fat and comfortable retainers of the rich? What are we to say when we see idealism become hypocrisy, and the moral and spiritual heritage of mankind twisted to the knavish purposes of class-cruelty and greed? What I say is - Bootstrap-lifting!
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Humans deny their animal nature to feel superior, but this self-deception becomes harmful when used by the powerful to oppress the poor under the guise of morality.
- In plain terms
- People pretend they are not animals, but the rich use this idea to hurt the poor while pretending to be moral.
- What can you take from it?
- Moral pretense often masks class cruelty.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do we deny our nature?
- Who benefits from moral rules?
Another view
Acknowledging animal nature does not excuse cruelty.
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