Business Quote by Bernardo Soares
““You are being exploited, Soares". This made me me realize that indeed I am; but since it's the fate of everyone in this life to be exploited, my question would be: is it any worse being exploited by Senhor Vasques and his textile company than by vanity, glory, resentment, envy or the impossible?””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, 1984
The quote reflects on universal exploitation, comparing personal labor exploitation to abstract moral vices, questioning which is more damaging.
In simple terms: Everyone is exploited; the quote asks which kind is worse.
Key Takeaway
Examine the sources of your suffering.
Themes
philosophy
exploitation
existential
life
ethics
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
existential
When to use this quote
- workplace
- personal relationships
- societal pressures
- inner conflict
Key Concepts
moral relativism
human condition
power dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- What forms of exploitation affect you most?
- Can moral vices be more harmful than material oppression?
A Different Perspective
The abstract nature of "vanity" etc. may be harder to can than concrete exploitation.
![“[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)