When people lack teachers, their tendencies are not corrected; when they do not have ritual and moral principles, then their lawlessness is not controlled.
XunziRead
Human nature is such that people are born with a love of profit If they follow these inclinations, they will struggle and snatch from each other, and inclinations to defer or yield will die.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Human beings are naturally inclined towards self-interest and profit, which can lead to conflict and diminish cooperation.
In this quote, Xunzi reflects on the intrinsic tendencies of human nature, suggesting that individuals are born with a propensity to pursue personal gain. This pursuit, if left unchecked, could result in competition and conflict, undermining the values of cooperation and altruism, ultimately leading to a society where the willingness to yield or compromise diminishes.
Themes
Human NatureProfitSelf-InterestConflictCooperation
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about economics, one could use this quote to discuss the motivations behind capitalism.
More from Xunzi
All quotes →When a man sees something desirable, he must reflect on the fact that with time it could come to involve what is detestable. When he sees something that is beneficial, he should reflect that sooner or later it, too, could come to involve harm.
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If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one's desires are many, what harm would they be to good order?
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A person is born with feelings of envy and hate. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to violence and crime, and any sense of loyalty and good faith will be abandoned.
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If the gentleman has ability, he is magnanimous, generous, tolerant, and straightforward, through which he opens the way to instruct others.
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In antiquity the sage kings recognized that men's nature is bad and that their tendencies were not being corrected and their lawlessness controlled.
XunziRead
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