Money is like manure. You have to spread it around or it smells.
Interpretation
Money needs to be utilized and distributed wisely to create value; otherwise, it becomes useless.
J. Paul Getty's quote compares money to manure, emphasizing that just as manure must be spread out to fertilize the ground and promote growth, money too must be actively used or distributed to have a positive impact. If hoarded, it becomes worthless, creating a stagnant situation rather than contributing to progress and success.
In practice
In a business seminar discussing financial management, one might say, 'As J. Paul Getty wisely noted, money is like manure; we must spread it around to see growth.'
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