--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be great in our times too often means…" description: "\"To be great in our times too often means to have great prosperity and no moral magnanimity at all.\" — Cornel West" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/cornel-west-708_magnanimity_to-be-great-in-our-times-too-often-means_882987.jpg" --- # To be great in our times too often means to have great… ![“To be great in our times too often means to have great prosperity and no moral magnanimity at all.” quote by Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/cornel-west-708_magnanimity_to-be-great-in-our-times-too-often-means_882987.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/cornel-west-708_magnanimity_to-be-great-in-our-times-too-often-means_882987.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/cornel-west-708_magnanimity_to-be-great-in-our-times-too-often-means_882987.jpg) > “To be great in our times too often means to have great prosperity and no moral magnanimity at all.” [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness today often equates to wealth without moral generosity; true greatness requires ethical depth. **In simple terms:** Wealth ≠ moral greatness. Key Takeaway Cultivate moral generosity. Themes ethics wealth greatness Mood critical contemplative Type philosophical political When to use this quote - politics - community leadership - philanthropy Key Concepts social justice philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How to define moral generosity? - Can wealth fund virtue? A Different Perspective Moral standards can be subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-times/) [Magnanimity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magnanimity/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [I resigned on my own, and during my time, the country enjoyed a period of great prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/i-resigned-on-my-own-and-during-my-time-the-country-enjoyed-a-period/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [Decide now that you are worthy of great wealth and it will be your first step toward great prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/decide-now-that-you-are-worthy-of-great-wealth-and-it-will-be-your/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [We should not speak of one that prospers well As happy, till his life have run its course, And reached its goal. An evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/we-should-not-speak-of-one-that-prospers-well-as-happy-till-his-life/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Adversity, if a man is set down to it by degrees, is more supportable with equanimity by most people than any great prosperity arrived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/adversity-if-a-man-is-set-down-to-it-by-degrees-is-more-supportable/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“For why in your calamities do you complain of Christianity, unless because you desire to enjoy your luxurious license unrestrained, and to lead an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-2/for-why-in-your-calamities-do-you-complain-of-christianity-unless/) [St Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-2/) > [To provoke dreams of terror in the slumber of prosperity has become the moral duty of literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-fischer/to-provoke-dreams-of-terror-in-the-slumber-of-prosperity-has-become/) Ernst Fischer > [Without the Constitution and the Union, we could not have attained the result; but even these, are not the primary cause of our great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/without-the-constitution-and-the-union-we-could-not-have-attained-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“It is still possible to find people who believe that government policy did not end the Great Depression and undergird the Great Prosperity, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-reich/it-is-still-possible-to-find-people-who-believe-that-government/) [Robert B. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-reich/) > [How much does great prosperity overspread the mind with darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/how-much-does-great-prosperity-overspread-the-mind-with-darkness/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [When a man arrives at great prosperity God did it: when he falls into disaster he did it himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/when-a-man-arrives-at-great-prosperity-god-did-it-when-he-falls-into/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [You have to have a habitual vision of greatness ... you have to believe in fact that you will refuse to settle for mediocrity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/you-have-to-have-a-habitual-vision-of-greatness-you-have-to-believe/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Like all of us sinners, General Betrishchev was endowed with many virtues and many defects. Both the one and the other were scattered through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/like-all-of-us-sinners-general-betrishchev-was-endowed-with-many/) [Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/) > [Those who are successfully to lead their fellow-men, should have once possessed the nobler feelings. We have all known individuals whose magnanimity was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/those-who-are-successfully-to-lead-their-fellow-men-should-have-once/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [There still remains one effort of magnanimity, one sacrifice of prejudice and passion, to be made by the individuals throughout the nation who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/there-still-remains-one-effort-of-magnanimity-one-sacrifice-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Heroism, self-denial, and magnanimity, in all instances where they do not spring from a principle of religion, are but splendid altars on which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/heroism-self-denial-and-magnanimity-in-all-instances-where-they-do/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## More by Cornel West > [There has certainly been ugly, right-wing hatred targeting Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/there-has-certainly-been-ugly-right-wing-hatred-targeting-barack-obama/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [What is accurately portrayed is the rich humanity not just of Martin Luther King but of the movement, which was a multiracial movement. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/what-is-accurately-portrayed-is-the-rich-humanity-not-just-of-martin/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [I feel as if I have been blessed to undergo a transformation from 'gangster' to 'redeemed sinner with gangster proclivities.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-feel-as-if-i-have-been-blessed-to-undergo-a-transformation-from/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [“Like King, we need to put on our cemetery clothes and be coffin-ready for the next great democratic battle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/like-king-we-need-to-put-on-our-cemetery-clothes-and-be-coffin-ready/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [ “You can't really move forward until you look back. \[From Remaking America panel discussion at George Washington University\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/you-can-t-really-move-forward-until-you-look-back-from-remaking/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [When we think of globalization we are thinking in part of structures and institutions that have been developed over time and that have allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/when-we-think-of-globalization-we-are-thinking-in-part-of-structures/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The challenge artists face today is whether to be an underground, unheard genius, or to dilute their art for the marketplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-challenge-artists-face-today-is-whether-to-be-an-underground/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The need of black conservatives to gain the respect of their white peers deeply shapes certain elements of their conservatism. In this regard, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-need-of-black-conservatives-to-gain-the-respect-of-their-white/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [For me, musicians are poets. Beethoven describes himself as a poet of tones, just like Coltrane's a poet of tempo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/for-me-musicians-are-poets-beethoven-describes-himself-as-a-poet-of/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [I don't draw any distinctions between forms of bigotry or forms of ideology that lose sight of the humanity of people. I can't stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-don-t-draw-any-distinctions-between-forms-of-bigotry-or-forms-of/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Barack Obama has domesticated the left in such a way that we feel as if we have no alternative but him...I refuse to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/barack-obama-has-domesticated-the-left-in-such-a-way-that-we-feel-as/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Larry Summers, I think, he had a long history of arrogance and relative ignorance about poor people's culture and working people's culture and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/larry-summers-i-think-he-had-a-long-history-of-arrogance-and-relative/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The greatest gift you can give someone is the gift of inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-greatest-gift-you-can-give-someone-is-the-gift-of-inspiration/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [You can see it in terms of the obsession on Wall Street with not just profits but greed, more profit, more profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/you-can-see-it-in-terms-of-the-obsession-on-wall-street-with-not-just/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Anybody who takes Martin Luther King seriously has got to go beyond the standard understanding of who he was, has to connect those dots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/anybody-who-takes-martin-luther-king-seriously-has-got-to-go-beyond/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) [Explore all 400 Cornel West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) ## More Great times quotes > [I have two teenage sons, and they're both surviving, thriving, and having a great time, and they're always on social media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-have-two-teenage-sons-and-they-re-both-surviving-thriving-and/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [My philosophy is "Where is it written that at 40 you give up all your toys?" If I'm still having a great time doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/my-philosophy-is-where-is-it-written-that-at-40-you-give-up-all-your/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [All the big ideas for getting us onto a lower carbon trajectory involve a lot of people doing a lot of work, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/all-the-big-ideas-for-getting-us-onto-a-lower-carbon-trajectory/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [The great thing about the dilemma we're in is that we get to re-imagine every single thing we do...There isn't a single thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/the-great-thing-about-the-dilemma-we-re-in-is-that-we-get-to-re/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [It's a great time to be alive and be a computer weenie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lehenbauer/it-s-a-great-time-to-be-alive-and-be-a-computer-weenie/) [Karl Lehenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lehenbauer/) > [It's a great time to be a comedian because you've got so much more control. You can say what you want to. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/it-s-a-great-time-to-be-a-comedian-because-you-ve-got-so-much-more/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [ \[John Hurt\] just really gifted, and I had a great time working with him and \[am\] very lucky to have worked with him. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/john-hurt-just-really-gifted-and-i-had-a-great-time-working-with-him/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [I've always had a really great time being in movies and writing music when I get home. The more creative I am, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-ve-always-had-a-really-great-time-being-in-movies-and-writing-music/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [In these great times which I knew when they were this small; which will become small again, provided they have time left for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/in-these-great-times-which-i-knew-when-they-were-this-small-which/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [ \[The whole first year at university\] was a great time for me and great time of awakening. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/the-whole-first-year-at-university-was-a-great-time-for-me-and-great/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [When I lived in New York, there wasn't as much TV or film around. I got asked to do a couple of indie films,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-iha/when-i-lived-in-new-york-there-wasn-t-as-much-tv-or-film-around-i-got/) [James Iha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-iha/) > [Great times are great softeners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/great-times-are-great-softeners/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [How come there's no terrorism with humor, which is a great way to humiliate your enemy? It's a great time for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/how-come-there-s-no-terrorism-with-humor-which-is-a-great-way-to/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I want to do whatever people allow me to do with great people and have a great time doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-helbig/i-want-to-do-whatever-people-allow-me-to-do-with-great-people-and/) [Grace Helbig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-helbig/) > [I don't think you can create culture and develop core values during great times. I think it's when the company faces adversity of extraordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jensen-huang/i-don-t-think-you-can-create-culture-and-develop-core-values-during/) [Jensen Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jensen-huang/) [Browse all 218 Great times quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-times/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To be great in our times too often means to have great prosperity and no moral magnanimity at all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cornel West" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/to-be-great-in-our-times-too-often-means-to-have-great-prosperity-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great times" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/to-be-great-in-our-times-too-often-means-to-have-great-prosperity-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/cornel-west-708_magnanimity_to-be-great-in-our-times-too-often-means_882987.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/cornel-west-708_magnanimity_to-be-great-in-our-times-too-often-means_882987.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/cornel-west-708_magnanimity_to-be-great-in-our-times-too-often-means_882987.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be great in our times too often means to have great prosperity and no moral magnanimity at all.” — Cornel West", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cornel West", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To be great in our times...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/to-be-great-in-our-times-too-often-means-to-have-great-prosperity-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/to-be-great-in-our-times-too-often-means-to-have-great-prosperity-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```