“By nature men are pretty much alike; it is learning and practice that set them apart.”

that is a big half of it

It is action towards definable goals in one's own self-interest that sets men apart. Learning and practice make action possible but are useless without it.

Practice: to perform or work at repeatedly...apply

By nature men are more or less alike (given a gene or two). By intellect we are also more or less alike (given the fact we believe anything we hear on faith). What sets man apart is his ability inquire and reject group mentality. George Carlin got it right google him and see his YouTubes.

Sounds correct to me, but it is not all about learning and practice; there are other factors that make men different from one another down the road; Degree of Freedom and Opportunities are just two more I can think of.

????? I'm wondering how ancient Chinese would translate into "pretty much alike." Otherwise, it's a kind of empty truism.

Maybe something was lost in the translation. It has merit, but is not complete.

Absolutely Elisabeth, from Astoria, NY. Without Freedom and opportunities there may be little to learn and practice. One also learns by example, and not all have the opportunity to have positive examples. Quote is very simplistic.

I think he is correct. Definable goals change I think with learning and practice. I know that learning totally changed my life and my goals and direction changed along with it.

By nature they are alike, selfserving. But learning truth does not set you apart, or it shouldn't and doesn't in my life. It rather creates a unity with those around me because we're all in this together, trying to figure out what is what and how to do it right.