People who'll do stuff out of the kindness of their heart are remarkably rare, possibly because the same sort of people who might give their life to improving everything is also the same kind of person who is unlikely to make it very far. Which is why it takes so long for stuff to get better.
Or whatever.
He meant that too many people complain about how there is absolutely no good in the world, while some good is being done. Not that people were doing it for credit, but people were looking for their actions, and refuse to acknowledge them.
I know you like writing, so I'll use that. Let's say that you write an epic fantasy novel, and you end up friends with an agent. You didn't know he was an agent, and you didn't care. You wrote the book because you loved the writing, if you ever got it published, that's a bonus, but writing it was why you did it. Then this conversation takes place.
Agent: "There are NO unpublished fantasy novels."
You: "What do you mean?"
Agent: "Well it's just sad, I can't find one anywhere."
You: "Well...I wrote one. And I know a few friends who are working one some."
Agent: "There are NO unpublished fantasy novels."
You didn't tell him because you wanted it published, but he made an observation that you wanted to put in the correct light, and he refused to acknowledge it.
And we all know that it's bullshit .There are metric fucktons of unpublished fantasy novels.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow;
Between the crosses, row on row;
That mark our place; and in the sky;
The larks, still bravely singing, fly;
Scarce heard amid the guns below.