Wealth often takes away chances from men as well as poverty. There is none to tell the rich to go on striving, for a rich man makes the law that hallows and hollows his own life.
I find that it isn't wise to attempt to judge people on their public persona, and even on the music they make. Because I've met so many people whose music I cannot stand, and they're very nice. At the same time, I've met people whose music I've loved, and they're not the person you've invested all this emotion in.
Interpretation
What this quote means
One should not judge people solely based on their public image or creative output, as personal character often differs from artistic expression.
This quote highlights the complexity of human nature, suggesting that public personas and artistic creations do not fully encapsulate a person's true self. Morrissey emphasizes the disconnect that can exist between one’s appreciation for someone's work and the reality of their character, reminding us to look beyond superficial judgments and recognize the multifaceted nature of individuals.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about celebrity culture, one might use this quote to remind others that public figures often have private lives that contradict their public image.
Similar quotes
True freedom means freeing oneself from the dictates of the ego and its accompanying emotions.
This regionalization is in keeping with the Tri-Lateral Plan which calls for a gradual convergence of East and West, ultimately leading toward the goal of one world government. National sovereignty is no longer a viable concept.
The words of the Constitution... are so unrestricted by their intrinsic meaning or by their history or by tradition or by prior decisions that they leave the individual Justice free, if indeed they do not compel him, to gather meaning not from reading the Constitution but from reading life.
[When asked "Dr. Einstein, why is it that when the mind of man has stretched so far as to discover the structure of the atom we have been unable to devise the political means to keep the atom from destroying us?"] That is simple, my friend. It is because politics is more difficult than physics.
After all, the only thing that is going to save mankind is if enough people live their lives for something or someone other than themselves.