Anti social Quote by Edward Bellamy
“People nowadays interchange gifts and favors out of friendship, but buying and selling is considered absolutely inconsistent with the mutual benevolence which should prevail between citizens and the sense of community of interest which supports our social system. According to our ideas, buying and selling is essentially anti-social in all its tendencies. It is an education in self-seeking at the expense of others, and no society whose citizens are trained in such a school can possibly rise above a very low grade of civilization”
About This Quote
Source Book: Equality, 1897 by Edward Bellamy
The quote argues that commercial exchange undermines communal goodwill, framing market transactions as selfish and damaging to social cohesion.
In simple terms: Buying and selling erodes community trust.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize mutual aid over profit.
Themes
community
economics
ethics
social cohesion
individualism
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- public policy debates
- community building
- education curricula
- non‑profit initiatives
Key Concepts
anti‑consumerism
social theory
morality
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance personal gain with communal responsibility?
- What alternatives to buying and selling support social welfare?
A Different Perspective
Market systems can also foster innovation and mutual benefit when regulated.
![“[I]f we could have devised an arrangement for providing everybody with music in their homes, perfect in quality, unlimited in quantity, suited to every mood, and beginning and ceasing at will, we should have considered the limit of human felicity already attained, and ceased to strive for further…” quote by Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/250/edward-bellamy-21275_arrangements_i-f-we-could-have-devised-an-arrangement_1391683.jpg)
