--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you overpay small people you…" description: "\"When you overpay small people you frighten them. They know that their merits or activities entitle them to no such sums as they are receiving. As a res..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/ben-hecht-8979_blessing_when-you-overpay-small-people-you-fright_937582.jpg" --- # When you overpay small people you frighten them. They know… ![“When you overpay small people you frighten them. They know that their merits or activities entitle them to no such sums as they are receiving. As a result their boss soars out of economic into magic significance. He becomes a source of blessings rather than wages. Criticism is sacrilege, doubt is…” quote by Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/ben-hecht-8979_blessing_when-you-overpay-small-people-you-fright_937582.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/ben-hecht-8979_blessing_when-you-overpay-small-people-you-fright_937582.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/ben-hecht-8979_blessing_when-you-overpay-small-people-you-fright_937582.jpg) > “When you overpay small people you frighten them. They know that their merits or activities entitle them to no such sums as they are receiving. As a result their boss soars out of economic into magic significance. He becomes a source of blessings rather than wages. Criticism is sacrilege, doubt is heresy.” [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Overcompensation in payment creates resentment, turning workers into mythic figures and stifling genuine critique. **In simple terms:** Excessive pay breeds resentment. Key Takeaway Pay fairly, respect merit. Themes economics power respect Mood critical thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - salary negotiations - team management - leadership - creative industries Key Concepts sociology workplace dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance appreciation and fairness? - What impact does overpaying have on team morale? A Different Perspective Generous gestures can be misinterpreted as manipulation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessing/) [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Heresy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heresy/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sacrilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrilege/) [Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance/) [Wages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wages/) ## Related quotes > [When you overpay small people you frighten them. They know that their merits or activities entitle them to no such sums as they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/when-you-overpay-small-people-you-frighten-them-they-know-that-their-2/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) > [It is the habit of the unthinking to turn to the illusions of economic magic. These unhappy times call for the building of plans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/it-is-the-habit-of-the-unthinking-to-turn-to-the-illusions-of/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Overpay good baby-sitters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/overpay-good-baby-sitters/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [If you have the opportunity to have the best of the artist, then if you overpay, it doesn't matter. Eventually, the market will reward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-braman/if-you-have-the-opportunity-to-have-the-best-of-the-artist-then-if/) [Norman Braman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-braman/) > [“Explain the value and justify the cost - People don’t mind paying; they just don’t like to overpay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murray/explain-the-value-and-justify-the-cost-people-don-t-mind-paying-they/) [Chris Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murray/) > [Typically, when you overpay for something, you get some of that money back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-scott/typically-when-you-overpay-for-something-you-get-some-of-that-money/) [Phil Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-scott/) > [I give them what they want. I try to give them what they want. It's like the example with Ja Rule: I overpay him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irv-gotti/i-give-them-what-they-want-i-try-to-give-them-what-they-want-it-s/) [Irv Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irv-gotti/) > [Rich countries can afford to overpay for things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/rich-countries-can-afford-to-overpay-for-things/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [To the extent that people overpay as a result of the Libor manipulation, they should be able to get their money back. Individuals who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-welch/to-the-extent-that-people-overpay-as-a-result-of-the-libor/) [Peter Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-welch/) > [You need to understand their needs and see what makes them happy. When it comes to working with Ja, I asked my lawyer: if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irv-gotti/you-need-to-understand-their-needs-and-see-what-makes-them-happy-when/) [Irv Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irv-gotti/) > [Always overpay your taxes.That way you'll get a refund.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meyer-lansky/always-overpay-your-taxes-that-way-you-ll-get-a-refund/) [Meyer Lansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meyer-lansky/) > [I always overpay or overtip when I'm upset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-kaufman/i-always-overpay-or-overtip-when-i-m-upset/) Sue Kaufman > [For me, it is the worst kind of sacrilege if you are given some of special talent and you don't take advantage of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaromir-jagr/for-me-it-is-the-worst-kind-of-sacrilege-if-you-are-given-some-of/) [Jaromir Jagr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaromir-jagr/) > [When a man's life is destroyed or damaged by some wound or privation of soul or body, which is due to other men's actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/when-a-man-s-life-is-destroyed-or-damaged-by-some-wound-or-privation/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [There is a kind of pleasure which comes from sacrilege or the profanation of the objects offered us for worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/there-is-a-kind-of-pleasure-which-comes-from-sacrilege-or-the/) [Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/) ## More by Ben Hecht > [People's sex habits are as well known in Hollywood as their political opinions, and much less criticized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/people-s-sex-habits-are-as-well-known-in-hollywood-as-their-political/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) > [Movies are one of the bad habits that have corrupted our century. They have slipped into the American mind more misinformation in one evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/movies-are-one-of-the-bad-habits-that-have-corrupted-our-century-they/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) > [Chicago is a sort of journalistic Yellowstone Park, offering haven to a last herd of fantastic bravos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/chicago-is-a-sort-of-journalistic-yellowstone-park-offering-haven-to/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) > [I know that a man who shows me his wealth is like the beggar who shows me his poverty; they are both looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/i-know-that-a-man-who-shows-me-his-wealth-is-like-the-beggar-who/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) > [Listen, little boy. In this business, there's only one law you gotta follow to keep outta trouble. 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Here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/there-was-a-land-of-cavaliers-and-cotton-fields-called-the-old-south/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) > [Out of the seventy movies I've written some ten of them were not entirely waste product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/out-of-the-seventy-movies-i-ve-written-some-ten-of-them-were-not/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) [Explore all 76 Ben Hecht quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) ## More Blessing quotes > [Being a new mother is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phaedra-parks/being-a-new-mother-is-a-blessing/) [Phaedra Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phaedra-parks/) > [God loves to glorify himself by suspending his gifts and blessings on our asking him for them. 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