Utilitarianism had found [in Samuel Smiles' Self-Help] its…
![“Utilitarianism had found [in Samuel Smiles' Self-Help] its portrait gallery of heroes, inscribed with a vigorous exhortation to all men to strive in their image; this philistine romanticism established the bourgeois hero-prototype the penniless office-boy who works his way to economic fortune and…” quote by John Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/b69/john-carroll-16284_bourgeois_utilitarianism-had-found-in-samuel-smile_1733275.jpg)
“Utilitarianism had found [in Samuel Smiles' Self-Help] its portrait gallery of heroes, inscribed with a vigorous exhortation to all men to strive in their image; this philistine romanticism established the bourgeois hero-prototype the penniless office-boy who works his way to economic fortune and this wins his way into the mercantile plutocracy.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Utilitarianism glorifies self-made individuals who rise from humble beginnings, creating a bourgeois ideal of the hardworking, penniless office boy who achieves wealth.
In simple terms: It celebrates the self-made hero as a moral exemplar.
Key Takeaway
Question the myth of meritocracy.
Themes
philosophy
economics
culture
class
heroism
Mood
reflective
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
social
When to use this quote
- business education
- career counseling
- literary criticism
- social policy
- media analysis
Key Concepts
Utilitarian ethics
bourgeois ideals
self-help narrative
Questions to Reflect On
- Do such narratives ignore structural inequality?
- How does this hero archetype affect social expectations?
A Different Perspective
Overlooks systemic barriers that limit true upward mobility.