--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Utility is the great idol of the age, to…" description: "\"Utility is the great idol of the age, to which all powers must do service and all talents swear allegiance. In this great balance of utility, the spiri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/friedrich-schiller-832_age_utility-is-the-great-idol-of-the-age-to_1061627.png" --- # Utility is the great idol of the age, to which all powers… ![“Utility is the great idol of the age, to which all powers must do service and all talents swear allegiance. In this great balance of utility, the spiritual service of art has no weight, and, deprived of all encouragement, it vanishes from the noisy Vanity Fair of our time.” quote by Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/friedrich-schiller-832_age_utility-is-the-great-idol-of-the-age-to_1061627.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/friedrich-schiller-832_age_utility-is-the-great-idol-of-the-age-to_1061627.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/friedrich-schiller-832_age_utility-is-the-great-idol-of-the-age-to_1061627.png) > “Utility is the great idol of the age, to which all powers must do service and all talents swear allegiance. In this great balance of utility, the spiritual service of art has no weight, and, deprived of all encouragement, it vanishes from the noisy Vanity Fair of our time.” [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society values utility over art, marginalizing spiritual creativity. **In simple terms:** Practical needs dominate, sidelining artistic purpose. Key Takeaway Support art beyond its usefulness. Themes art society utility spirituality Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - education policy - public funding - media criticism Key Concepts cultural value economic pressure artistic sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - Should art be judged by utility? - How can society better value artistic contributions? A Different Perspective Art can also serve practical purposes, blurring the divide. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Allegiance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allegiance/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) [Idols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idols/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Vanity fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity-fair/) [Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight/) ## Related quotes > [Utility is the great idol of the age, to which all powers must do service and all talents swear allegiance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/utility-is-the-great-idol-of-the-age-to-which-all-powers-must-do-2/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Franz Klammer was my great idol in my younger years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-maier/franz-klammer-was-my-great-idol-in-my-younger-years/) [Hermann Maier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-maier/) > [“Sex may be completely out in the open now, but it's still defined and controlled by a powerful subset of elite men. 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