Business Quote by Ambrose Bierce
“Occident: The part of the world lying west (or east) of the Orient. It is largely inhabited by Christians, a powerful subtribe of the Hypocrites, whose principal industries are murder and cheating, which they are pleased to call war and commerce. These, also, are the principal industries of the Orient.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Devil's Dictionary, 1906
A satirical definition exposing hypocrisy and the moral corruption of both West and East, equating war and commerce with murder and cheating.
In simple terms: Satire on cultural hypocrisy and exploitation.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge double standards.
Themes
hypocrisy
culture
war
commerce
morality
Mood
cynical
critical
Type
satirical
political
When to use this quote
- academic discussion
- political commentary
- media analysis
- cultural studies
Key Concepts
satire
political critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How does satire reveal hidden truths?
- What are modern equivalents of such hypocrisy?
A Different Perspective
The definition is exaggerated and not historically accurate.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)
