When I would sell encyclopedias, I would drive down the…
“When I would sell encyclopedias, I would drive down the road looking for a house with a swing set in the back, and I'd say, "Oh, those folks got kids. They need some books." I'd knock on their door and sell them a set of encyclopedias, and those books were from $300 to $600. I'd look around the house, and if there wasn't that much furniture in the house, I felt a little bad about selling a $600 set of books to people who couldn't afford a couch. So I didn't last at that job very long.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
He felt conflicted selling expensive encyclopedias to low‑income families, recognizing the moral tension between profit and empathy.
In simple terms: He felt bad selling pricey books to poor families.
Key Takeaway
Balance profit with compassion.
Themes
ethics
sales
empathy
poverty
personal conflict
Mood
reflective
conflicted
Type
narrative
ethical
When to use this quote
- door‑to‑door sales
- selling books
- low‑income neighborhoods
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
consumerism
social responsibility
economic disparity
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile earning a living with fairness?
- When is it okay to prioritize profit over need?
A Different Perspective
He may have over‑estimated customers' ability to pay, risking exploitation.