Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
John SteinbeckRead
It has always seemed strange to me... the things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling, are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest, are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on how society admires virtuous qualities yet rewards traits often associated with selfishness and success.
In this quote, John Steinbeck critiques the paradox within societal values, pointing out that while attributes like kindness and generosity are praised, they do not lead to success in a capitalist system. Simultaneously, traits associated with greed and self-interest, which are generally viewed negatively, are actually incentivized in a competitive environment. This contradiction highlights the complex relationship between morality and success in society.
Themes
SocietySuccessValuesTraitsMoralityCapitalism
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion about the ethics in business practices, one might quote Steinbeck to highlight the conflict between moral values and success.
More from John Steinbeck
All quotes βAt one point, as Samuel urges Adam to raise his boys well regardless of the blood that might be in them, Adam tells him, "You can't make a race horse of a pig." Samuel replies, "No, but you can make a very fast pig.
John SteinbeckRead
And when that crop grew, and was harvested, no man had crumbled a hot clod in his fingers and let the earth sift past his fingertips. No man had touched the seed, or lusted for the growth. Men ate what they had not raised, had no connection with the bread. The land bore under iron, and under iron gradually died; for it was not loved or hated, it had no prayers or curses.
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The comfortable people in tight houses felt pity at first, and then distaste, and finally hatred for the migrant people.
John SteinbeckRead
People do not want advice - they want corroboration.
John SteinbeckRead
It is one of the triumphs of the human that he can know a thing and still not believe it.
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