--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our lives are so dominated by financial…" description: "\"Our lives are so dominated by financial concerns - paying the rent - and consumer choices - what sort of detergent to buy at Costco - that larger issue..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/campbell-mcgrath-32135_choices_our-lives-are-so-dominated-by-financial_2277959.jpg" --- # Our lives are so dominated by financial concerns - paying… ![“Our lives are so dominated by financial concerns - paying the rent - and consumer choices - what sort of detergent to buy at Costco - that larger issues get subsumed into economic ones. Not just social justice, but basic issues of faith and meaning.” quote by Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/campbell-mcgrath-32135_choices_our-lives-are-so-dominated-by-financial_2277959.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/campbell-mcgrath-32135_choices_our-lives-are-so-dominated-by-financial_2277959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/campbell-mcgrath-32135_choices_our-lives-are-so-dominated-by-financial_2277959.jpg) > “Our lives are so dominated by financial concerns - paying the rent - and consumer choices - what sort of detergent to buy at Costco - that larger issues get subsumed into economic ones. Not just social justice, but basic issues of faith and meaning.” [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Everyday financial and consumer decisions can eclipse deeper existential and spiritual concerns. **In simple terms:** Daily choices can mask bigger questions. Key Takeaway Prioritize meaning over material concerns. Themes consumerism spirituality meaning economics Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - budget planning - community activism - mindful purchasing - spiritual retreats Key Concepts philosophy social critique values Questions to Reflect On - What values are you sacrificing for convenience? - How can you balance practical needs with spiritual growth? A Different Perspective Economic pressures often limit the ability to focus on deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/) ## Related quotes > [I was brought up in an environment where my parents expressed their financial concerns in front of their children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-imbruglia/i-was-brought-up-in-an-environment-where-my-parents-expressed-their/) [Natalie Imbruglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-imbruglia/) > [I don't think it has to be one religious structure, one church. I think the issues of faith and redemption are much more universal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/i-don-t-think-it-has-to-be-one-religious-structure-one-church-i-think/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [The most important of your affairs in my view is prayer; whoever prays regularly has protected his faith, but whoever neglects it, is bound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umar/the-most-important-of-your-affairs-in-my-view-is-prayer-whoever-prays/) [Umar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umar/) > [If you can't put problems in your own backyard to rest, then how can you deal with larger issues?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahesh-bhatt/if-you-can-t-put-problems-in-your-own-backyard-to-rest-then-how-can/) [Mahesh Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahesh-bhatt/) > [Most complaints, you know, aren't won or lost on their own merits, but rather on larger issues--politics and the position of the planets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/most-complaints-you-know-aren-t-won-or-lost-on-their-own-merits-but/) [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) > [However much we may sympathize with a small nation confronted by a big and powerful neighbor, we cannot in all circumstances undertake to involve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-chamberlain/however-much-we-may-sympathize-with-a-small-nation-confronted-by-a/) [Neville Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-chamberlain/) > [Everyone is now a customer or client, and every relationship is ultimately judged in bottom-line, cost-effective terms. Freedom is no longer about equality, social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/everyone-is-now-a-customer-or-client-and-every-relationship-is/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [Since separation precludes financial support or special privilege from government, the churches are free to engage in prophetic criticism of the government and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-swomley/since-separation-precludes-financial-support-or-special-privilege/) [John M Swomley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-swomley/) > [We shall be free only together, black and white. We shall survive only together, black and white. We can be human only together, black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/we-shall-be-free-only-together-black-and-white-we-shall-survive-only/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Have therefore zeal to better thyself and then mayst thou have zeal to thy neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/have-therefore-zeal-to-better-thyself-and-then-mayst-thou-have-zeal/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Without food, man at most can live but a few weeks; without it all other components of social justice are meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-borlaug/without-food-man-at-most-can-live-but-a-few-weeks-without-it-all/) [Norman Borlaug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-borlaug/) > [It clearly follows that to make men moral it is necessary to make their social environment moral. And that can be done in only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/it-clearly-follows-that-to-make-men-moral-it-is-necessary-to-make/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“The mission is, not to replace old world mindlessness with new world mindlessness, but to put an end to all forms of brainless authoritarianism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-mission-is-not-to-replace-old-world-mindlessness-with-new-world/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-teacher-is-one-who-makes-two-ideas-grow-where-only-one-grew-before/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) ## More by Campbell McGrath > [“Dawn 5am: the frogs ask what is it, what is it? It is what it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/dawn-5am-the-frogs-ask-what-is-it-what-is-it-it-is-what-it-is/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [Poems are language turned into art; sound and sense matter; they can be as long or longer than The Odyssey or as short or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/poems-are-language-turned-into-art-sound-and-sense-matter-they-can-be/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [The shape that poems make in the mind is an echo of something powerful in the cosmos. I do believe that, and that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/the-shape-that-poems-make-in-the-mind-is-an-echo-of-something/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [All of the arts are kin - music and sculpture and dance, those are wordless art forms. But poetry is defined by language. Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/all-of-the-arts-are-kin-music-and-sculpture-and-dance-those-are/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [I like each of my books to be different. Once I've done something I like to move on and push myself to learn new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/i-like-each-of-my-books-to-be-different-once-i-ve-done-something-i/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [“How strange that they arrive at all, nights on planet earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/how-strange-that-they-arrive-at-all-nights-on-planet-earth/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [I tend to write poetry that is rich in data of various sorts. The lyric poem isn't perfectly suited to accommodating such data, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/i-tend-to-write-poetry-that-is-rich-in-data-of-various-sorts-the/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [A poem employs both the sound and the sense of language, it treats words not just as signifiers but as a plastic medium of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/a-poem-employs-both-the-sound-and-the-sense-of-language-it-treats/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [Traditionally poetry is written in lines. But the prose poem is the kind of poem that isn't written in lines. It is lyrical prose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/traditionally-poetry-is-written-in-lines-but-the-prose-poem-is-the/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [It's not surprising to me that books ended up playing a central role in my life, but it is somewhat mysterious that poetry did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/it-s-not-surprising-to-me-that-books-ended-up-playing-a-central-role/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [People who publish poetry today do it from a sense that poetry needs to be published, not because they think they are going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/people-who-publish-poetry-today-do-it-from-a-sense-that-poetry-needs/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [Poetry resonates differently in each culture; it doesn't in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/poetry-resonates-differently-in-each-culture-it-doesn-t-in-america/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [Many other cultures value poetry more than we do. In Ireland, poetry is a top cultural pursuit, the art to end all arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/many-other-cultures-value-poetry-more-than-we-do-in-ireland-poetry-is/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [People say modernism killed poetry for them: it doesn't rhyme, it doesn't touch a popular musical oral tradition. Years ago, you memorized and read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/people-say-modernism-killed-poetry-for-them-it-doesn-t-rhyme-it-doesn/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) > [The culture stays alive, but certain parts of it die or fail, and that's very interesting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-mcgrath/the-culture-stays-alive-but-certain-parts-of-it-die-or-fail-and-that/) [Campbell McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) [Explore all 16 Campbell McGrath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-mcgrath/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our lives are so dominated by financial concerns - paying the rent - and consumer choices - what sort of detergent to buy at Costco - that larger issues get subsumed into economic ones. 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