Coins Quote by Daniel Abraham
“Court games aren't fair. They don't judge men by their worth, and they aren't about what's just. Guilty men can hold power their whole lives and be wept for when they pass. Innocent men can be spent like coins because it's convenient. You don't have to have sinned for them to ruin you. If your destruction is useful to them, you'll be destroyed.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, 2014
Powerful individuals often escape accountability, while innocent people suffer unjustly; exploitation persists when others benefit from someone's ruin.
In simple terms: Those in power can harm others without guilt, and victims may be sacrificed for convenience.
Key Takeaway
Question and resist systems that enable exploitation.
Themes
justice
power
exploitation
Mood
cautious
determined
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- corporate politics
- legal battles
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
ethical responsibility
social inequality
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you protect yourself from exploitation?
- What can you do to support the innocent?
A Different Perspective
Powerful actors may also be constrained by law or conscience.
![“We have a system of justice in [the US] that treats you much better if you're rich and guilty than if you're poor and innocent. Wealth, not culpability, shapes outcomes.” quote by Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c23/bryan-stevenson-4134_culpability_we-have-a-system-of-justice-in-the-us-th_2230349.jpg)
