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Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god.
Aristotle
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Humans are inherently social beings who thrive in communities, and those who reject society are considered unnatural.

Aristotle's quote emphasizes the intrinsic social nature of humans, suggesting that being part of a community is a fundamental aspect of human existence. He argues that individuals who shun society either exhibit a lower level of humanity, akin to beasts, or an elevated state of being, akin to gods. This highlights the importance of social interaction and communal life in shaping one's identity and role within the human experience.

Themes

SocialHuman NatureCommunitySocietyIndividuality

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the importance of community involvement, this quote can illustrate the necessity of social connections.

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Quote by Aristotle | QuoteProject