God how I hate new countries: They are older than the old, more sophisticated, much more conceited, only young in a certain puerile vanity more like senility than anything.
D. H. LawrenceRead
Their whole life depends on spending money, and now they’ve got none to spend. That’s our civilization and our education: bring up the masses to depend entirely on spending money, and then the money gives out.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote criticizes a society overly reliant on consumerism and the education system that promotes such dependence.
D. H. Lawrence highlights the dangers of a civilization that molds its people to rely solely on spending money for their existence, suggesting that when financial resources are depleted, such a society faces dire consequences. He calls attention to the educational structures that encourage this behavior, pointing out that it creates a precarious situation where the masses are ill-equipped to live without their economic privileges.
Themes
ConsumerismDependencyEducationEconomySociety
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about economic sustainability, one could use this quote to express concerns about consumer culture.
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... he preferred his own madness, to the regular sanity. He rejoiced in his own madness, he was free. He did not want that old sanity of the world, which was become so repulsive. He rejoiced in the new-found world of his madness. It was so fresh and delicate and so satisfying.
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