“Man is made of dirt - I saw him made. I am not made of dirt. Man is a museum of diseases, a home of impurities; he comes to-day and is gone tomorrow; he begins as dirt and departs as stench; I am of the aristocracy of the Imperishables. And man has the Moral Sense. You understand? He has the Moral Sense. That would seem to be difference enough between us, all by itself.""I know your race. It is made up of sheep. It is governed by minorities, seldom or never by majorities. It suppresses its feelings and its beliefs and follows the handful that makes the most noise. Sometimes the noisy handful is right, sometimes wrong; but no matter, the crowd follows it.”
Analysis of Quote by Mark Twain
In this quote, Mark Twain contrasts the nature of humans with that of the speaker, who believes they are superior due to being "of the aristocracy of the Imperishables." The speaker highlights the transient and impure nature of humans, referring to them as a "museum of diseases" and "a home of impurities." They also emphasize the difference in moral sense between humans and themselves. Twain's observation of human behavior as being easily swayed by vocal minorities is also discernible in the quote, with the speaker characterizing humans as sheep who follow the noisy few without question. Overall, these quotes reflect Twain's critical perspective on human nature and society.
Modern Relevance:
In these quotes from Mark Twain, he highlights the differences between humans and other beings, as well as the tendency of society to be influenced by vocal minorities. Today, these ideas are still relevant as we navigate issues such as individual identity, group mentality, and the importance of moral values in our increasingly diverse world.
"Man is made of dirt - I saw him made. I am not made of dirt. Man is a museum of diseases, a home of impurities; he comes to-day and is gone tomorrow; he begins as dirt and departs as stench; I am of the aristocracy of the Imperishables. And man has the Moral Sense. You understand? He has the Moral Sense. That would seem to be difference enough between us, all by itself."
"I know your race. It is made up of sheep. It is governed by minorities, seldom or never by majorities. It suppresses its feelings and its beliefs and follows the handful that makes the most noise. Sometimes the noisy handful is right, sometimes wrong; but no matter, the crowd follows it."
Examples of Usage
- "“Man is made of dirt - I saw him made. I am not made of dirt. Man is a museum of diseases, a home of impurities; he comes to-day and is gone tomorrow; he begins as dirt and departs as stench; I am of the aristocracy of the Imperishables. And man has the Moral Sense. You understand? He has the Moral Sense. That would seem to be difference enough between us, all by itself."
- "I know your race. It is made up of sheep. It is governed by minorities, seldom or never by majorities. It suppresses its feelings and its beliefs and follows the handful that makes the most noise. Sometimes the noisy handful is right, sometimes wrong; but no matter, the crowd follows it.” - Mark Twain".
Reflection Questions:
In the above quotes by Mark Twain, he explores the differences between humans and other beings, highlighting the concept of moral sense and conformity within society. Reflecting on these quotes, consider the following questions:
How do you interpret the idea of man being made of dirt and the speaker being of the "aristocracy of the Imperishables"? How does this contrast shape your understanding of human nature?
Reflect on the concept of the Moral Sense mentioned in the first quote. Do you believe that humans possess a unique moral conscience that sets them apart from other beings? How does this influence individual behavior and societal norms?
In the second quote, Twain criticizes the tendency of humans to follow the "noisy handful" rather than listening to their own beliefs and feelings. Have you ever experienced this phenomenon in society or within your own life? How does conformity impact decision-making and individual autonomy?
Consider the idea of minorities governing majorities in society. How does this dynamic play out in various contexts, such as politics, social movements, or cultural trends? How can individuals navigate this power structure to ensure that their voices are heard and respected?
Similar quotes
“No man is an island,” he says. “Islands are made of dirt and rocks and trees. I don’t know any people made of such things. Therefore, people are not islands.”
“He bent down, scratched the black dirt into his fingers. He was beginning to warm to it; the words were beginning to flow. No one in front of him was moving. He said, "This is free ground. All the way from here to the Pacific Ocean. No man has to bow. No man born to royalty. Here we judge you by what you do, not by what your father was. Here you can be something. Here's a place to build a home. It isn't the land--there's always more land. It's the idea that we all have value, you and me, we're worth something more than the dirt. I never saw dirt I'd die for, but I'm not asking you to come join us and fight for dirt. What we're all fighting for, in the end, is each other.”
“Dirt's a funny thing,' the Boss said. 'Come to think of it, there ain't a thing but dirt on this green God's globe except what's under water, and that's dirt too. It's dirt makes the grass grow. A diamond ain't a thing in the world but a piece of dirt that got awful hot. And God-a-Mighty picked up a handful of dirt and blew on it and made you and me and George Washington and mankind blessed in faculty and apprehension. It all depends on what you do with the dirt. That right?”
“You, Stan, are covered with dirt and leaves.''''I just applied for a job as a tree,'' I said. It made so little sense, he didn't even bother responding.”
“Man is not defiled by his impurities. It is the other man pointing out his impurities to him, whom he is defiled by. Is there anything anyone can do, to become righteous, anyway? God made us impure. If he had a problem with that, He would have made us gods, instead.”