--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our defeat was always implicit in the…" description: "\"Our defeat was always implicit in the victory of others; our wealth has always generated our poverty by nourishing the prosperity of others - the empir..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/anonymous-1_alchemy_our-defeat-was-always-implicit-in-the-vi_1923048.jpg" --- # Our defeat was always implicit in the victory of others… ![“Our defeat was always implicit in the victory of others; our wealth has always generated our poverty by nourishing the prosperity of others - the empires and their native overseers. In the colonial and neocolonial alchemy, gold changes into scrap metal and food into poison.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/anonymous-1_alchemy_our-defeat-was-always-implicit-in-the-vi_1923048.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/anonymous-1_alchemy_our-defeat-was-always-implicit-in-the-vi_1923048.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/977/anonymous-1_alchemy_our-defeat-was-always-implicit-in-the-vi_1923048.jpg) > “Our defeat was always implicit in the victory of others; our wealth has always generated our poverty by nourishing the prosperity of others - the empires and their native overseers. In the colonial and neocolonial alchemy, gold changes into scrap metal and food into poison.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that the success of some creates the downfall of others, and that wealth often fuels inequality and exploitation. **In simple terms:** Wealth of others' poverty and exploitation. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden costs of wealth. Themes inequality exploitation colonialism economics power Mood critical reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - policy analysis - social justice advocacy - academic research - activism - public education Key Concepts resource extraction systemic oppression wealth distribution Questions to Reflect On - How does wealth create both benefit and harm? - Can prosperity be shared without exploitation? A Different Perspective It overlooks individual agency and positive outcomes of wealth creation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alchemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alchemy/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empires/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Metals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metals/) [Native](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/native/) [Neocolonial Alchemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neocolonial-alchemy-2965179/) [Nourishing Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nourishing-prosperity-2965180/) [Poison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poison/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Prosperity Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity-empires-2965181/) [Scrap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrap/) [Scrap metal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrap-metal/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [Science has salvaged scrap metal and even found vitamins and valuable oils in refuse, but old people are extravagantly wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anzia-yezierska/science-has-salvaged-scrap-metal-and-even-found-vitamins-and-valuable/) [Anzia Yezierska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anzia-yezierska/) > [A Republican philosophy goes something like this: If you take your car to the mechanic, and instead of fixing it, they take out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/a-republican-philosophy-goes-something-like-this-if-you-take-your-car/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [My first official consulting job, therefore, was for a scrap metal dealer (he resented the term "junk dealer") in East Edmonton named Benny Sugarman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-manning/my-first-official-consulting-job-therefore-was-for-a-scrap-metal/) [Preston Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-manning/) > [Grover wore his fake feet and his pants to pass as human. 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We can no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-and-women-approaching-retirement-age-should-be-recycled-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will argue that every scrap of biological diversity is priceless, to be learned and cherished, and never to be surrendered without a struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-will-argue-that-every-scrap-of-biological-diversity-is-priceless-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The winter evening settles down With smell of steaks in passageways. Six o'clock. The burnt-out ends of smoky days. And now a gusty shower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-winter-evening-settles-down-with-smell-of-steaks-in-passageways/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The alchemist of the West has turned stone into glass But my alchemy has transmuted glass into flint Pharaohs of today have stalked me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-alchemist-of-the-west-has-turned-stone-into-glass-but-my-alchemy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Regweld is really a fine wizard," he continued, patting the shoulder again. "And his ideas for crossbreeding a horse and a frog are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/regweld-is-really-a-fine-wizard-he-continued-patting-the-shoulder/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The cycle of life only goes one direction, not even alchemy can change that" -Ed Elric”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-cycle-of-life-only-goes-one-direction-not-even-alchemy-can-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is indeed a wondrous universal alchemy, is it not? When one's heartfelt intentions cause mountains to move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-indeed-a-wondrous-universal-alchemy-is-it-not-when-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Alchemy quotes > [“I went because I was interested in the alchemy of issues.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-went-because-i-was-interested-in-the-alchemy-of-issues/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“...the world is only the visible aspect of God. And that what alchemy does is to bring spiritual perfection into contact with the material…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-is-only-the-visible-aspect-of-god-and-that-what-alchemy/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Art is Alchemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-nicolai/art-is-alchemy/) [ELLE NICOLAI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-nicolai/) > [“You must learn to bend to open windows, my friend. That is why artists and dancers are closest to God. They clench their chests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/you-must-learn-to-bend-to-open-windows-my-friend-that-is-why-artists/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Every human being has gone through a tragedy of sorts. And the idea is that you have two paths you can take, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-michaels/every-human-being-has-gone-through-a-tragedy-of-sorts-and-the-idea-is/) [Jillian Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-michaels/) > [“Introspection does not need to be a still life. It can be an active alchemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/introspection-does-not-need-to-be-a-still-life-it-can-be-an-active/) [Anaïs Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [ Everybody can close their eyes, picture a dream house or a perfect place \[where\] they'd like to have a picnic. But actually creating it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/everybody-can-close-their-eyes-picture-a-dream-house-or-a-perfect/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [“She pushed the book towards them, and Harry and Ron read: The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/she-pushed-the-book-towards-them-and-harry-and-ron-read-the-ancient/) [J.K. 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