Economics Quote by Alain de Botton
““To maximise output, every organisation will strive to obtain its necessary raw materials, labour and machinery at the lowest possible cost and combine them to turn out a product that it will then attempt to sell at the highest possible price... And yet, troublingly, there is one difference between 'labour' and other commodities, a difference that conventional economics does not have a means of representing or giving weight to but that is nevertheless unavoidably present in the world: that labour feels pain.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work, Alain de Botton, 2015
Labor is unique among commodities because it involves human pain, which economics cannot quantify.
In simple terms: Work involves human suffering unlike other goods.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the human cost in production.
Themes
economics
ethics
labor rights
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
analytical
ethical
When to use this quote
- factory conditions
- gig economy
- policy debates
Key Concepts
human dignity
pain
value theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we integrate pain into economic assessments?
- What policies could protect laborers?
A Different Perspective
Economic models often ignore human suffering.
