--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Short is the way from need to greed" description: "\"Short is the way from need to greed\" — Abraham Joshua Heschel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/abraham-joshua-heschel-1851_greed_short-is-the-way-from-need-to-greed-1272_1272933.png" --- # Short is the way from need to greed ![“Short is the way from need to greed” quote by Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/abraham-joshua-heschel-1851_greed_short-is-the-way-from-need-to-greed-1272_1272933.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/abraham-joshua-heschel-1851_greed_short-is-the-way-from-need-to-greed-1272_1272933.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/abraham-joshua-heschel-1851_greed_short-is-the-way-from-need-to-greed-1272_1272933.png) > “Short is the way from need to greed” [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He suggests that brevity can lead from basic desire to greed. **In simple terms:** Shortness breeds greed. Key Takeaway Beware of shortcuts. Themes greed desire brevity Mood thoughtful warning Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal finance - ethical debates - education curricula Key Concepts human nature materialism Questions to Reflect On - How does brevity affect moral choices? - Can concise communication be ethical? A Different Perspective Shortness isn’t always negative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greed/) ## Related quotes > [“The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-world-has-enough-for-everyone-s-need-but-not-enough-for-everyone/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [We must learn to separate need from greed...We must not allow our yearnings to exceed our earnings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/we-must-learn-to-separate-need-from-greed-we-must-not-allow-our/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [John will never send a boy or girl in a uniform anywhere in the world because of our need and greed for oil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/john-will-never-send-a-boy-or-girl-in-a-uniform-anywhere-in-the-world/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [By experience we find out a short way by a long wandering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ascham/by-experience-we-find-out-a-short-way-by-a-long-wandering/) [Roger Ascham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ascham/) > [We haven't come a long way, we've come a short way. If we hadn't come a short way, no one would be calling us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-janeway/we-haven-t-come-a-long-way-we-ve-come-a-short-way-if-we-hadn-t-come-a/) [Elizabeth Janeway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-janeway/) > [Oh, grown-ups cannot understand, And grown-ups never will, How short the way to fairyland Across the purple hill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-noyes/oh-grown-ups-cannot-understand-and-grown-ups-never-will-how-short-the/) [Alfred Noyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-noyes/) > [The pyramid once passed there was still a short way to go before we confronted the Sphinx, in the middle of what our contemporaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-loti/the-pyramid-once-passed-there-was-still-a-short-way-to-go-before-we/) [Pierre Loti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-loti/) > [I think we need to take on the greed of the billionaire class, a disastrous campaign finance system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-think-we-need-to-take-on-the-greed-of-the-billionaire-class-a/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“Take only as much as you need. Anything more is nothing but greed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/take-only-as-much-as-you-need-anything-more-is-nothing-but-greed/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) > [“One of the weaknesses of our age is our apparent inability to distinguish our need from our greed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-maxwell/one-of-the-weaknesses-of-our-age-is-our-apparent-inability-to-2/) [James Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-maxwell/) > [“Targets are achieved sooner out of need, than out of greed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/targets-are-achieved-sooner-out-of-need-than-out-of-greed/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [There is enough in the world for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-enough-in-the-world-for-everyone-s-need-but-not-enough-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Need and Greed creates suffocation, destroy friendship makes a person enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kishore-bansal/need-and-greed-creates-suffocation-destroy-friendship-makes-a-person/) [Kishore Bansal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kishore-bansal/) > [“The world has enough for everyone's need but not for everyone's greed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-world-has-enough-for-everyone-s-need-but-not-for-everyone-s-greed/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It is well worth our while to check out need against greed, and see where that takes us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayya-khema/it-is-well-worth-our-while-to-check-out-need-against-greed-and-see/) [Ayya Khema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayya-khema/) ## More by Abraham Joshua Heschel > [“The primitive mind finds it hard to realize an idea without the aid of imagination, and it is the realm of space where imagination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-primitive-mind-finds-it-hard-to-realize-an-idea-without-the-aid/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [To serve does not mean to surrender but to share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/to-serve-does-not-mean-to-surrender-but-to-share/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [“There is a passion and drive for cruel deeds which only the awe and fear of God can soothe; there is a suffocating selfishness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/there-is-a-passion-and-drive-for-cruel-deeds-which-only-the-awe-and/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [People of our time are losing the power of celebration. Instead of celebrating we seek to be amused or entertained. Celebration is an active…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/people-of-our-time-are-losing-the-power-of-celebration-instead-of/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Ultimately there is no power to narcissistic, self-indulgent thinking. Authentic thinking originates with an encounter with the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/ultimately-there-is-no-power-to-narcissistic-self-indulgent-thinking/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [“Usually we regard as meaningful that which can be expressed, and as meaningless that which cannot be expressed. Yet, the equation of the meaningful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/usually-we-regard-as-meaningful-that-which-can-be-expressed-and-as/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Understanding God is not attained by calling into session all arguments for and against Him, in order to debate whether He is a reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/understanding-god-is-not-attained-by-calling-into-session-all/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Indifference to evil is more insidious than evil itself. It is a silent justification affording evil acceptability in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/indifference-to-evil-is-more-insidious-than-evil-itself-it-is-a/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Religion has become an impersonal affair, an institutional loyalty. It survives on the level of activities rather than in the stillness of commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/religion-has-become-an-impersonal-affair-an-institutional-loyalty-it/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [“What seems to be a stone is a drama.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/what-seems-to-be-a-stone-is-a-drama/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Prayer begins where our power ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/prayer-begins-where-our-power-ends/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [The awe of God is wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-awe-of-god-is-wisdom/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [The problem to be faced is: how to combine loyalty to one's own tradition with reverence for different traditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-problem-to-be-faced-is-how-to-combine-loyalty-to-one-s-own/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [The degree to which one is sensitive to other people's suffering, to other (people's) humanity, is the index of one's own humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-degree-to-which-one-is-sensitive-to-other-people-s-suffering-to/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Acceptance is appreciation, and the high value of appreciation is such that to appreciate appreciation seems to be the fundamental prerequisite for survival. Mankind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/acceptance-is-appreciation-and-the-high-value-of-appreciation-is-such/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) [Explore all 203 Abraham Joshua Heschel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) ## More Greed quotes > [Stephanie could see the greed seep into the watery eyes of her father’s other brother, a horrible little man called Fergus, as he nodded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/stephanie-could-see-the-greed-seep-into-the-watery-eyes-of-her-father/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“The fact that they viewed their wealth as a result of their own hands, without any honor other than lip service being given to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-goff/the-fact-that-they-viewed-their-wealth-as-a-result-of-their-own-hands/) [Lee Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-goff/) > [“Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/be-fearful-when-others-are-greedy-and-be-greedy-when-others-are/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [avarice breeds envy, a worm that is always gnawing, letting the avaricious enjoy neither their own nor anyone else's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/avarice-breeds-envy-a-worm-that-is-always-gnawing-letting-the/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [“In a similar way, The Art of War pinpoints anger and greed as fundamental causes of defeat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/in-a-similar-way-the-art-of-war-pinpoints-anger-and-greed-as/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Who does not know that kings and rulers sprang from men who were ignorant of God, who assumed because of blind greed and intolerable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-gregory-vii/who-does-not-know-that-kings-and-rulers-sprang-from-men-who-were/) [Pope Gregory VII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-gregory-vii/) > [''And one day when all is gone and mankind is lost, all he leaves is the desert.'' ''For man is his own demise the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/and-one-day-when-all-is-gone-and-mankind-is-lost-all-he-leaves-is-the/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“Wisdom teaches us that our real enemies are never other living beings. They are ignorance and its minions, including greed, hatred, anger, pride, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-newland/wisdom-teaches-us-that-our-real-enemies-are-never-other-living-beings/) Guy Newland > [“Suckers think that you cure greed with money, addiction with substances, expert problems with experts, banking with bankers, economics with economists, and debt crises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/suckers-think-that-you-cure-greed-with-money-addiction-with/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [The universe appears to me like an immense, inexorable torture-garden…Passions, greed, hatred, and lies; social institutions, justice, love, glory, heroism, and religion: these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octave-mirbeau/the-universe-appears-to-me-like-an-immense-inexorable-torture-garden/) [Octave Mirbeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octave-mirbeau/) > [“Thankfulness acknowledges that we can’t own anything, but we can experience everything. And just knowing that makes me thankful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/thankfulness-acknowledges-that-we-can-t-own-anything-but-we-can/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Con men look for human frailty to exploit. This is most often greed. Trump found a different vice: anger. The emotional are always the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/con-men-look-for-human-frailty-to-exploit-this-is-most-often-greed/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) [Browse all 2,232 Greed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Short is the way from need to greed", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abraham Joshua Heschel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/short-is-the-way-from-need-to-greed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Greed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/short-is-the-way-from-need-to-greed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/abraham-joshua-heschel-1851_greed_short-is-the-way-from-need-to-greed-1272_1272933.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/abraham-joshua-heschel-1851_greed_short-is-the-way-from-need-to-greed-1272_1272933.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/abraham-joshua-heschel-1851_greed_short-is-the-way-from-need-to-greed-1272_1272933.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Short is the way from need to greed” — Abraham Joshua Heschel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abraham Joshua Heschel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Short is the way from need...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/short-is-the-way-from-need-to-greed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/short-is-the-way-from-need-to-greed/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```