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The laboring man has not leisure for a true integrity day…

“The laboring man has not leisure for a true integrity day by day; he cannot afford to sustain the manliest relations to men; his labor would be depreciated in the market. He has no time to be anything but a machine.” quote by Henry David Thoreau
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““The laboring man has not leisure for a true integrity day by day; he cannot afford to sustain the manliest relations to men; his labor would be depreciated in the market. He has no time to be anything but a machine.””

Henry David Thoreau

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Labor leaves little time for integrity; constant work reduces humanity to machinery.

In simple terms: Work can erode personal integrity.

Key Takeaway

Preserve humanity.

Themes

labor integrity humanity

Mood

melancholic critical

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

  • factory work
  • gig economy
  • long hours

Key Concepts

Existentialism industrial critique

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you maintain integrity at work?
  • What breaks can restore humanity?
A Different Perspective

Some work is necessary for survival.

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