If one harbours anywhere in one's mind a nationalistic loyalty or hatred, certain facts, although in a sense known to be true, are inadmissible.
George OrwellRead
In all the modern talk about energy, efficiency, social service and the rest of it, what meaning is there except "Get money, get it legally, and get a lot of it"? Money has become the grand test of virtue.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques society's focus on wealth as a measure of virtue and success.
In this quote, George Orwell expresses concern over the modern preoccupation with money and how it is perceived as the ultimate indicator of a person's worth and morality. He suggests that societal values have shifted towards the relentless pursuit of wealth, reducing deeper virtues to mere financial success and raising questions about the true meaning behind concepts like efficiency and social service in a capitalist context.
Themes
MoneyVirtueSocietyWealthSuccessCritique
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the pitfalls of consumerism.
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Political writing in our time consists almost entirely of prefabricated phrases bolted together like the pieces of a child's Meccano set. It is the unavoidable result of self-censorship. To write in plain, vigorous language one has to think fearlessly, and if one thinks fearlessly one cannot be politically orthodox.
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Not to expose your true feelings to an adult seems to be instinctive from the age of seven or eight onwards.
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As with the Christian religion, the worst advertisement for Socialism is its adherents.
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It is fatal to look hungry. It makes people want to kick you.
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