Learn English – What’s the meaning of ‘sorry lot’ in Albert Einstein’s quote

meaningquotes

I just came across this quote by Albert Einstein when I was leafing through the book 'Super Cooperators: Altruism, Evolution, and Why We Need Each Other To Succeed':

If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for
reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed

What does 'sorry lot' mean here?

I'm thinking sorry might mean pathetic/sad/loser and lot means group. Am I right?

Best Answer

A sorry lot (sorry definition 2, lot definition 4) is simply a regrettable or deplorable lot; so a regrettable group. It is the same as saying a sorry bunch. It could potentially be interpreted as pathetic, but not usually. So you are correct; it means a sad group.

Note that sad does not mean that the members of the group are sad (emotionally), it means that the group as a whole is sad. Definitions 3 and 5 both apply.