"Most men have always wanted as much as they could get; and possession has always blunted the fine edge of their altruism"

Katherine Fullerton Gerould's quote, "Most men have constantly desired as much as they could get; and ownership has constantly blunted the great edge of their altruism", provides an eager observation on human nature and the dynamics between desire, possession, and selflessness. This statement recommends that there is a fundamental propensity in humans to seek more than they have, driven by a pressing desire for acquisition. The expression "as much as they could get" suggests a limitless ambition, a basic sort of greed that moves people to constantly look for more-- be it wealth, power, or material belongings.

Gerould keeps in mind an important change that occurs when desire becomes ownership. The act of getting what one wants seems, according to Gerould, to have a lessening result on one's capability for selflessness. The "fine edge of their altruism" implies that selflessness, or selfless concern for the well-being of others, is at its sharpest-- its most reliable and authentic-- when not dulled by the comfort and complacency that possession can bring. Once people have what they desire, their drive for domination and ownership begins to overshadow their concern for others.

This observation highlights a psychological and ethical conundrum: the more one has, the less inclined one might be to act altruistically. The accumulation of possessions and the convenience they provide can reproduce a sense of complete satisfaction and complacency that weakens the urgency and need to feel sorry for and help others. In essence, Gerould challenges us to reflect on the effect of material wealth and possession on our ethical and emotional faculties. While human achievement and development typically develop from the desire to possess and dominate, this quote prompts us to think about the balance between aspiration and virtue, advising mindfulness of how our desires and possessions can form our character and affect our relationships with others.