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My parents survived the Great Depression and brought me up to live within my means, save some for tomorrow, share and don't be greedy, work hard for the necessities in life knowing that money does not make you better or more important than anyone else. So, extravagance has been bred out of my DNA.
David Suzuki
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the values of frugality, hard work, and humility over materialism.

David Suzuki reflects on the lessons imparted by his parents who endured the Great Depression, highlighting the importance of living within one's means, saving for the future, sharing with others, and understanding that one's worth is not determined by wealth. He stresses the significance of hard work and a modest lifestyle, indicating that excessive extravagance is not part of his values or upbringing.

Themes

ValuesHumilityFrugalityHard WorkWealthLife Lessons

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about financial responsibility, one could use this quote to highlight the importance of saving and hard work.

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We no longer see the world as a single entity. We've moved to cities and we think the economy is what gives us our life, that if the economy is strong we can afford garbage collection and sewage disposal and fresh food and water and electricity. We go through life thinking that money is the key to having whatever we want, without regard to what it does to the rest of the world.
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