Asks Quote by Arthur Miller
“Success, instead of giving freedom of choice, becomes a way of life. There's no country I've been to where people, when you come into a room and sit down with them, so often ask you, "What do you do?" And, being American, many's the time I've almost asked that question, then realized it's good for my soul not to know. For a while! Just to let the evening wear on and see what I think of this person without knowing what he does and how successful he is, or what a failure. We're ranking everybody every minute of the day.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, 1970s, United States
The quote critiques how society equates personal worth with professional success, urging us to see people beyond their achievements.
In simple terms: Don't judge people by their jobs.
Key Takeaway
Look beyond titles and achievements.
Themes
identity
success
humanity
social judgment
humility
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- networking events
- first dates
- team meetings
- social gatherings
Key Concepts
existentialism
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How would you connect with someone without asking about their job?
- What biases arise when we rank others?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook systemic issues that affect success.
![“... freedom of choice is possible. Life is going to unfold however it does: pleasant or unpleasant, disappointing or thrilling, expected or unexpected, all of the above! What a relief it would be to know that whatever wave comes along, we can ride it out with grace [p. 35].” quote by Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/340/sylvia-boorstein-7241_choice_freedom-of-choice-is-possible-life-is-go_122468.jpg)
![“(Looking at the letter in his hand) Then what is this if it isn’t telling me? Sure, [Larry] was my son. But I think to him [the pilots killed] were all my sons. And I guess they were, I guess they were” quote by Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e8/arthur-miller-947_killed_looking-at-the-letter-in-his-hand-then-w_55336.jpg)
