--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unless we do change our whole way of…" description: "\"Unless we do change our whole way of thought about work, I do not think we shall ever escape from the appalling squirrel-cage of economic confusion in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/dorothy-l-sayers-738_avarice_unless-we-do-change-our-whole-way-of-tho_1360724.jpg" --- # Unless we do change our whole way of thought about work, I… ![“Unless we do change our whole way of thought about work, I do not think we shall ever escape from the appalling squirrel-cage of economic confusion in which we have been madly turning for the last three centuries or so, the cage in which we landed ourselves by acquiescing in a social system based…” quote by Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/dorothy-l-sayers-738_avarice_unless-we-do-change-our-whole-way-of-tho_1360724.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/dorothy-l-sayers-738_avarice_unless-we-do-change-our-whole-way-of-tho_1360724.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/dorothy-l-sayers-738_avarice_unless-we-do-change-our-whole-way-of-tho_1360724.jpg) > “Unless we do change our whole way of thought about work, I do not think we shall ever escape from the appalling squirrel-cage of economic confusion in which we have been madly turning for the last three centuries or so, the cage in which we landed ourselves by acquiescing in a social system based upon Envy and Avarice. A society in which consumption has to be artificially stimulated in order to keep production going is a society founded on trash and waste.” [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our economic system, driven by envy and greed, traps us in endless consumption and waste. **In simple terms:** We’re stuck in a wasteful, greedy economy. Key Takeaway Question and change consumption habits. Themes economics ethics environment society Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - personal budgeting - policy reform - education - activism Key Concepts consumerism sustainability inequality Questions to Reflect On - What drives your consumption? - Can you live with less? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑rooted habits is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avarice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avarice/) [Confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) [Consumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Envy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envy/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-systems/) [Squirrels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squirrels/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [A society in which consumption has to be artificially stimulated in order to keep production going is a society founded on trash and waste,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/a-society-in-which-consumption-has-to-be-artificially-stimulated-in/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [Equality is a slogan based on envy. It signifies in the heart of every republican: "Nobody is going to occupy a place higher than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/equality-is-a-slogan-based-on-envy-it-signifies-in-the-heart-of-every/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“In the modern world, those whom we effectively hate are distant groups, especially foreign nations. We conceive them abstractly, and deceive ourselves into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/in-the-modern-world-those-whom-we-effectively-hate-are-distant-groups/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I think 'Riverdale,' the show as a whole, is so now, so today. There's so much going on that can be reflected as far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-melton/i-think-riverdale-the-show-as-a-whole-is-so-now-so-today-there-s-so/) [Charles Melton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-melton/) > [“Unfortunately, I am also just now realizing that I've only been going along with society all my life, and that I never thought the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/unfortunately-i-am-also-just-now-realizing-that-i-ve-only-been-going/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“When you come to a point realizing what is going on in the society, then you will also come to a point in need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadair-desmar/when-you-come-to-a-point-realizing-what-is-going-on-in-the-society/) [Nadair Desmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadair-desmar/) > [We're always going to be a society that's going to slow down and look at the wreck on the side if the road if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/we-re-always-going-to-be-a-society-that-s-going-to-slow-down-and-look/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Our players are not immune to the things that are going on in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pederson/our-players-are-not-immune-to-the-things-that-are-going-on-in-society/) [Doug Pederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pederson/) > [Rise above the way society is going to see you and society is going to see you at the absolutely bottom of the totem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/rise-above-the-way-society-is-going-to-see-you-and-society-is-going/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [At the time it seemed like a natural development of my interest in what was going on around me in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/at-the-time-it-seemed-like-a-natural-development-of-my-interest-in/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [How utterly are one's best thoughts invaded by this going out in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/how-utterly-are-one-s-best-thoughts-invaded-by-this-going-out-in/) [Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/) > [I have always believed in the fact that it's your work that is going to figure out things for you. As long as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barun-sobti/i-have-always-believed-in-the-fact-that-it-s-your-work-that-is-going/) [Barun Sobti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barun-sobti/) > [We built a business for ourselves just out of hard work, and I think people really want to hear from us about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-duplass/we-built-a-business-for-ourselves-just-out-of-hard-work-and-i-think/) [Mark Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-duplass/) > [“Always work. And I think because you didn’t even have that in common with him he simply felt he had nothing to say.” It”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-beattie/always-work-and-i-think-because-you-didn-t-even-have-that-in-common/) Michelle Beattie > [It's hard no to work, so I find a way to put myself back to work. And I think it's important, in between projects,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/it-s-hard-no-to-work-so-i-find-a-way-to-put-myself-back-to-work-and-i/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) ## More by Dorothy L. Sayers > [“The really essential factors of success in any undertaking are money and opportunity, and as a rule, the man who can make the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/the-really-essential-factors-of-success-in-any-undertaking-are-money/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [The trouble is. . .that everybody sneers at restrictions and demands freedom, till something annoying happens; then they demand angrily what has become of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/the-trouble-is-that-everybody-sneers-at-restrictions-and-demands/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [“ Peter! Were you looking for a horse-shoe?" "No; I was expecting the horse, but the shoe is a piece of pure, gorgeous luck."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/peter-were-you-looking-for-a-horse-shoe-no-i-was-expecting-the-horse/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [ “See that the mind is honest, first; the rest may follow or not as God wills. \[That\] the fundamental treason to the mind ...… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/see-that-the-mind-is-honest-first-the-rest-may-follow-or-not-as-god/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [But it is the mark of all movements, however well-intentioned, that their pioneers tend, by much lashing of themselves into excitement, to lose sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/but-it-is-the-mark-of-all-movements-however-well-intentioned-that/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [One must not only die daily, but every day we must be born again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/one-must-not-only-die-daily-but-every-day-we-must-be-born-again/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [“By teaching them all to read, we have left them at the mercy of the printed word. By the invention of the film and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/by-teaching-them-all-to-read-we-have-left-them-at-the-mercy-of-the/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [ Perhaps \[the critics are right and\] the drama is played out now and Jesus is safely dead and buried. Perhaps. It is ironical and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/perhaps-the-critics-are-right-and-the-drama-is-played-out-now-and/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [... at no point have I yet found artistic truth and theological truth at variance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/at-no-point-have-i-yet-found-artistic-truth-and-theological-truth-at/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I have never yet heard any middle-aged man or woman who worked with his or her brains express any regret for the passing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/i-have-never-yet-heard-any-middle-aged-man-or-woman-who-worked-with/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [“That was the second time within five minutes that he had warned her off his private ground. His mood had changed since the early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/that-was-the-second-time-within-five-minutes-that-he-had-warned-her/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [“To obey orders in this family has been my privilege for the last twenty years--a privilege which has been an unqualified pleasure, except perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/to-obey-orders-in-this-family-has-been-my-privilege-for-the-last/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [Those who make some other person their job... are dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/those-who-make-some-other-person-their-job-are-dangerous/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [“Yes, and look at the corpses. Place always reminds me of that old thing in Punch, you know—‘Waiter, take away Lord Whatsisname, he’s been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/yes-and-look-at-the-corpses-place-always-reminds-me-of-that-old-thing/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) [Explore all 386 Dorothy L. Sayers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) ## More Avarice quotes > [In our own time the whole of Greece has been subject to a low birth rate and a general decrease of the population, owing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polybius/in-our-own-time-the-whole-of-greece-has-been-subject-to-a-low-birth/) [Polybius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polybius/) > [avarice breeds envy, a worm that is always gnawing, letting the avaricious enjoy neither their own nor anyone else's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/avarice-breeds-envy-a-worm-that-is-always-gnawing-letting-the/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [The man who worships mere wealth is a snob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/the-man-who-worships-mere-wealth-is-a-snob/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Where today are the Pequot? Where are the Narragansett, the Mohican, the Pcanet, and other powerful tribes of our people? They have vanished before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/where-today-are-the-pequot-where-are-the-narragansett-the-mohican-the/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, atheism, tyranny, avarice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-corruption-of-the-age-is-made-up-by-the-particular-contribution/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Where poverty ceases, avarice begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/where-poverty-ceases-avarice-begins/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Five enemies of peace inhabit with us - avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petrarch/five-enemies-of-peace-inhabit-with-us-avarice-ambition-envy-anger-and/) [Petrarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petrarch/) > ['Maneater' is about N.Y.C. in the '80s. It's about greed, avarice, and spoiled riches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oates/maneater-is-about-n-y-c-in-the-80s-it-s-about-greed-avarice-and/) [John Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oates/) > [A woman's whole life is a history of the affections. The heart is her world: it is there her ambition strives for empire; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/a-woman-s-whole-life-is-a-history-of-the-affections-the-heart-is-her/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Gluttony should be destroyed by self-control; unchastity by desire for God and longing for the blessings held in store; avarice by compassion for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-damascus/gluttony-should-be-destroyed-by-self-control-unchastity-by-desire-for/) [John of Damascus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-damascus/) > [Riches with their wicked inducements increase; nevertheless, avarice is never satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/riches-with-their-wicked-inducements-increase-nevertheless-avarice-is/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Poverty wants much; but avarice, everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/poverty-wants-much-but-avarice-everything/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [When virtue is banished, ambition invades the minds of those who are disposed to receive it and avarice possesses the whole community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/when-virtue-is-banished-ambition-invades-the-minds-of-those-who-are/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [He who is always in a hurry to be wealthy and immersed in the study of augmenting his fortune has lost the arms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/he-who-is-always-in-a-hurry-to-be-wealthy-and-immersed-in-the-study/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Goodness is weakness, pleasantness is poisonous, serenity is mediocrity and kindness is for losers. The best reason for committing loathsome and detestable acts –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/goodness-is-weakness-pleasantness-is-poisonous-serenity-is-mediocrity/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) [Browse all 318 Avarice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avarice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Unless we do change our whole way of thought about work, I do not think we shall ever escape from the appalling squirrel-cage of economic confusion in which we have been madly turning for the last three centuries or so, the cage in which we landed ourselves by acquiescing in a social system based upon Envy and Avarice. A society in which consumption has to be artificially stimulated in order to keep production going is a society founded on trash and waste.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dorothy L. 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