One of the little-celebrated powers of Presidents (and other high government officials) is to listen to their critics with just enough sympathy to ensure their silence.
John Kenneth GalbraithRead
Money is a singular thing. It ranks with love as man's greatest source of joy. And with death as his greatest source of anxiety. Over all history it has oppressed nearly all people in one of two ways: either it has been abundant and very unreliable, or reliable and very scarce.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Money can bring joy and anxiety, reflecting its dual nature in human life.
In this quote, John Kenneth Galbraith highlights the complex relationship humans have with money. He suggests that while money can be a source of great happiness, akin to love, it also induces significant stress, similar to the fear of death. Throughout history, the experience of money has been polarized, with it either being plentiful yet unstable or scarce but dependable, affecting societies in various ways.
Themes
MoneyJoyAnxietyWealthHuman Experience
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about financial literacy, one might share this quote to emphasize the emotional impact of money.
More from John Kenneth Galbraith
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The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.
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All successful revolutions are the kicking in of a rotten door.
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Money differs from an automobile or mistress in being equally important to those who have it and those who do not.
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People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage.
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