You are one with a crowd of men who have made what they…
““You are one with a crowd of men who have made what they call a government, who are masters of all the other men, and who eat the food the other men get and would like to eat themselves. You wear the warm clothes. They made the clothes, but they shiver in rags and ask you, the lawyer, or business agent who handles your money, for a job. 'But that is beside the matter,' I cried. Not at all. It is piggishness and it is life. Of what use or sense is an immortality of piggishness? What is the end? What is it all about? You have made no food. Yet the food you have eaten or wasted might have saved the lives of a score of wretches who made the food but did not eat it. What immortal end did you serve? Or did they?””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Power structures exploit labor, yet individuals can choose ethical responsibility over selfish gain.
In simple terms: Power exploits; choose ethics.
Key Takeaway
Act ethically despite systemic injustice.
Themes
power
exploitation
ethics
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- workplace
- politics
- consumer choices
- activism
Key Concepts
social justice
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities do you hold in your role?
- How can you support those who labor unseen?
A Different Perspective
Changing systems requires collective action, not just individual virtue.