Conflict Quote by George Soros
“Whenever there is a conflict between universal principles and self-interest, self-interest is likely to prevail.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Economic forum address, 2018
When universal principles clash with personal gain, personal interests usually dominate, highlighting a tension between ethics and self‑interest.
In simple terms: Self‑interest often wins over universal principles.
Key Takeaway
Align incentives with ethical standards.
Themes
ethics
self‑interest
principles
conflict
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- corporate governance
- public policy
- personal decision making
Key Concepts
behavioral economics
moral philosophy
policy design
Questions to Reflect On
- How can institutions incentivize ethical behavior?
- What personal habits reduce self‑interest bias?
A Different Perspective
Ethical frameworks can be overridden by profit motives.
![“I very often used to get backaches due to the fact that I was wrong. Whenever you are wrong you have to fight or [take] flight. When [I] make the decision, the backache goes away.” quote by George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d1e/george-soros-1593_backache_i-very-often-used-to-get-backaches-due-t_38205.jpg)
![“We [at Soros Fund Management] use options and more exotic derivatives sparingly. We try to catch new trends early and in later stages we try to catch trend reversals. Therefore, we tend to stabilize rather than destabilize the market. We are not doing this as a public service. It is our style of…” quote by George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f33/george-soros-1593_derivatives_we-at-soros-fund-management-use-options_113322.jpg)
