Closing time Quote by George Orwell
““The moral is, never be sorry for a waiter. Sometimes when you sit in a restaurant, still stuffing yourself half an hour after closing time, you feel that the tired waiter at your side must surely be despising you. But he is not. He is not thinking as he looks at you, 'What an overfed lout'; he is thinking, 'One day, when I have saved enough money, I shall be able to imitate that man.' He is ministering to a kind of pleasure he thoroughly understands and admires. And that is why waiters are seldom Socialists, have no effective trade union, and will work twelve hours a day--they work fifteen hours, seven days a week, in many cafés. They are snobs, and they find the servile nature of their work rather congenial.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: 'The Art of Being a Waiter', 1945
The waiter sees his job as a stepping stone, not a permanent identity, aspiring to rise beyond his current role.
In simple terms: Waiters view work as a path to future success.
Key Takeaway
Recognize work as a means, not an end.
Themes
ambition
class
work
aspiration
social mobility
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
observational
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career planning
- hospitality industry
- personal development
- economic mobility
Key Concepts
Marxism
social hierarchy
psychology of labor
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you view your current job as a stepping stone?
- What aspirations drive your daily work?
A Different Perspective
Assumes all workers share this mindset, ignoring individual values.
