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The crime which bankrupts men and states is…

“The crime which bankrupts men and states is job-work-declining from your main design, to serve a turn here and there. Nothing is beneath you, if it is in the direction of your life, nothing is great or desirable if it is off from that. I think we are entitled here to draw a straight line and say…” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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“The crime which bankrupts men and states is job-work-declining from your main design, to serve a turn here and there. Nothing is beneath you, if it is in the direction of your life, nothing is great or desirable if it is off from that. I think we are entitled here to draw a straight line and say that society can never prosper but must always be bankrupts, until every man does that which he was created to do.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

About This Quote

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

When people abandon their true purpose for fleeting tasks, both individuals and societies suffer; aligning work with one's core design leads to fulfillment and prosperity.

In simple terms: Follow your true purpose for success.

Key Takeaway

Align work with your core purpose.

Themes

purpose society prosperity

Mood

thoughtful inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

  • career choice
  • public policy
  • education reform
  • entrepreneurship

Key Concepts

philosophy economics psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • What is your core purpose?
  • How can society support individuals in finding their purpose?
A Different Perspective

Rigid adherence to a single purpose can limit adaptability.

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