Capitalism Quote by Don DeLillo
“Look at those numbers running. Money makes time. It used to be the other way around. Clock time accelerated the rise of capitalism. People stopped thinking about eternity. They began to concentrate on hours, measurable hours,man-hours, using labor more efficiently.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: White Noise, 1985
Capitalism turned time into a commodity, shifting focus from timeless values to measurable labor and efficiency.
In simple terms: Time became money; eternity ignored.
Key Takeaway
Balance productivity with long‑term purpose.
Themes
capitalism
time
labor
values
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
social
When to use this quote
- workplace management
- personal planning
- cultural critique
- policy making
Key Concepts
commodity time
efficiency
eternity
societal shift
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of life resist being quantified?
- How can societies reclaim a sense of eternity?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on efficiency may erode well‑being and deeper meaning.
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
