For us lads of eighteen they ought to have been mediators and guides to the world of maturity, the world of work, of duty, of culture, of progress -- to the future.
Erich Maria RemarqueRead
Modesty and conscientiousness receive their reward only in novels. In life they are exploited and then shoved aside.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Modesty and hard work often go unrecognized in real life, unlike in stories where they receive praise.
In this quote, Erich Maria Remarque reflects on the disparity between the ideals of modesty and conscientiousness and the harsh realities of life. He suggests that while these virtues are celebrated in novels and stories, in the real world they are frequently taken for granted, exploited, and overlooked, highlighting a cynical view of how society values different traits and behaviors.
Themes
ModestyConscientiousnessExploitationRealityLife
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of integrity in the workplace, this quote can highlight how hard work often goes unnoticed.
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(Ravic speaking of a butterfly caught in the Louvre) In the morning it would search for flowers and life and the light honey of blossoms and would not find them and later it would fall asleep on millennial marble, weakened by then, until the grip of the delicate, tenacious feet loosened and it fell, a thin leaf of premature autumn.
Erich Maria RemarqueRead
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