Those who struggle to change the world see themselves as noble, even tragic figures. Yet most of those who work for world betterment are not rebels against the scheme of things. They seek consolation for a truth they are too weak to bear. At bottom, their faith that the world can be transformed by human will is a denial of their own mortality.

As it is: The consolation of action (p. 193) - Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals (2002)