The real problems of our planet are not economic or technical, they are philosophical. The philosophy of unbridled materialism is being challenged by events.
E. F. SchumacherRead
The substance of man cannot be measured by Gross National Product.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True human worth transcends material wealth and economic metrics.
E. F. Schumacher's quote suggests that the true essence of humanity cannot be quantified solely through economic indicators like the Gross National Product (GNP). It emphasizes the idea that measuring a person's or a nation's value should include spiritual, ethical, and social dimensions beyond mere financial wealth, urging us to reflect on what truly enriches human life and well-being.
Themes
HumanityValuesWealthGdpSpiritualMeasurement
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on economic policies, one might use this quote to emphasize the limitations of financial metrics.
More from E. F. Schumacher
All quotes βThe printing press is either the greatest blessing or the greatest curse of modern times, sometimes one forgets which it is.
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By means of trees, wildlife could be conserved, pollution decreased, and the beauty of our landscapes enhanced. This is the way, or at least one of the ways, to spiritual, moral, and cultural regeneration.
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We still have to learn how to live peacefully, not only with our fellow men but also with nature and, above all, with those Higher Powers which have made nature and have made us; for, assuredly, we have not come about by accident and certainly have not made ourselves
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The heart of the matter, as I see it, is the stark fact that world poverty is primarily a problem of two million villages, and thus a problem of two thousand million villagers.
E. F. SchumacherRead
Economic policies absorb almost the entire attention of government, and at the same time become ever more impotent. The simplest things, which only fifty years ago one could do without difficulty, cannot get done any more. The richer a society, the more impossible it become to do worthwhile things without immediate payoff.
E. F. SchumacherRead
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