There are men so incorrigibly lazy that no inducement that…
“There are men so incorrigibly lazy that no inducement that you can offer will tempt them to work; so eaten up by vice that virtue is abhorrent to them, and so inveterably dishonest that theft is to them a master passion.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
People can be so deeply lazy, corrupt, and vice‑driven that no reward or punishment changes their behavior.
In simple terms: Extreme laziness and dishonesty resist all incentives.
Recognize limits of external motivation.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- workplace management
- criminal justice
- personal development
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Can intrinsic values ever overcome such deep flaws?
- What role does environment play?
Even strong incentives may fail with entrenched vice.