--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That blasted family could never look at a…" description: "\"“That blasted family could never look at a living thing without wanting to make a profit out of it, preferably by killing it.”\" — Halldór Laxness" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/757/halld-r-laxness-6935_capitalism_that-blasted-family-could-never-look-at_1271737.png" --- # That blasted family could never look at a living thing… ![“That blasted family could never look at a living thing without wanting to make a profit out of it, preferably by killing it.” quote by Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/757/halld-r-laxness-6935_capitalism_that-blasted-family-could-never-look-at_1271737.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/757/halld-r-laxness-6935_capitalism_that-blasted-family-could-never-look-at_1271737.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/757/halld-r-laxness-6935_capitalism_that-blasted-family-could-never-look-at_1271737.png) > ““That blasted family could never look at a living thing without wanting to make a profit out of it, preferably by killing it.”” [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Exploitation reduces living beings to profit, often through violence. **In simple terms:** Seeing profit in everything harms life. Key Takeaway Respect life over profit. Themes exploitation environment ethics Mood critical concerned Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - industrial farming - corporate practices - consumer choices Key Concepts capitalism animal rights moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance profit and compassion? - Can alternatives replace harmful profit? A Different Perspective Profit motives can ignore moral costs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blasted Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blasted-family-4079388/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Exploitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploitation/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Hunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunting/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Preferably Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preferably-killing-4079389/) [Profit Preferably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit-preferably-4079390/) [Shooting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting/) [Thing Wanting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-wanting-617132/) ## Related quotes > [One of the marks of a certain type of bad man is that he cannot give up a thing himself without wanting everyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-marks-of-a-certain-type-of-bad-man-is-that-he-cannot-give-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [By the way, you won't put that thing in about me wanting to have sex on a football pitch, will you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-nurding/by-the-way-you-won-t-put-that-thing-in-about-me-wanting-to-have-sex/) [Louise Nurding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-nurding/) > [Spock: Stonn, she is yours. After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry-theodore-sturgeon/spock-stonn-she-is-yours-after-a-time-you-may-find-that-having-is-not/) [Gene Roddenberry Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry-theodore-sturgeon/) > [One of the marks of a certain type of bad man is that he cannot give up a thing himself without wanting every one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-marks-of-a-certain-type-of-bad-man-is-that-he-cannot-give/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's always this thing of wanting to be elsewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/there-s-always-this-thing-of-wanting-to-be-elsewhere/) [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/) > [“I have every useless thing in the world in my house there. The only thing wanting is the necessary thing, a great patch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/i-have-every-useless-thing-in-the-world-in-my-house-there-the-only/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-nimoy/after-a-time-you-may-find-that-having-is-not-so-pleasing-a-thing/) [Leonard Nimoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-nimoy/) > [You can do anything you want to do. What is rare is this actual wanting to do a specific thing: wanting it so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-do-anything-you-want-to-do-what-is-rare-is-this-actual/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You cannot love a thing without wanting to fight for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/you-cannot-love-a-thing-without-wanting-to-fight-for-it/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The sexual abuse and exploitation of children is one of the most vicious crimes conceivable, a violation of mankind's most basic duty to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-walsh/the-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation-of-children-is-one-of-the-most/) [James T. Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-walsh/) > [Marx saw exploitation in terms of the rewards of human labor, but we can see it in terms of all the values of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/marx-saw-exploitation-in-terms-of-the-rewards-of-human-labor-but-we/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [Communism is inequality, but not as property is. Property is exploitation of the weak by the strong. Communism is exploitation of the strong by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-inequality-but-not-as-property-is-property-is/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [When the idea came up, (Newman's Own) I said, "Are you crazy? Stick my face on the label of salad dressing?" And then, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/when-the-idea-came-up-newman-s-own-i-said-are-you-crazy-stick-my-face/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [Nothing better protects a human being against the stupidity of prejudice, racism, religious or political sectarianism, and exclusivist nationalism than this truth that invariably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/nothing-better-protects-a-human-being-against-the-stupidity-of/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. When somebody actually picked up a copy, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-seeing-the-national-inquirer-at-the/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) ## More by Halldór Laxness > [Where the glacier meets the sky, the land ceases to be earthly, and the earth becomes one with the heavens; no sorrows live there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/where-the-glacier-meets-the-sky-the-land-ceases-to-be-earthly-and-the/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“A new generation forgets the specters that may have tormented the old… And yet, always, to all eternity, it is the same specter assailing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/a-new-generation-forgets-the-specters-that-may-have-tormented-the-old/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“People don't have the imagination to understand politicians. People are too innocent”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/people-don-t-have-the-imagination-to-understand-politicians-people/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Can't we make a blusterer ourselves? asked Jón Hreggviðsson. Can't we scratch that damned sign with the ax-point onto the chopping block and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/can-t-we-make-a-blusterer-ourselves-asked-j-n-hreggvi-sson-can-t-we/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Somewhere, out in the infinite distance, lay the spring, at least in God's mind, like babies that are not yet conceived in the mother's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/somewhere-out-in-the-infinite-distance-lay-the-spring-at-least-in-god/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Townsfolk have no conception of the peace that mother nature bestows, and as long as that peace is unfound the spirit must seek to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/townsfolk-have-no-conception-of-the-peace-that-mother-nature-bestows/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Sin - sin is God’s most precious gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/sin-sin-is-god-s-most-precious-gift/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [A free man can live on fish.Independence is better than meat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/a-free-man-can-live-on-fish-independence-is-better-than-meat/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“He did not know what to say in the face of such sorrow. He sat in silence by his sister's side in the spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/he-did-not-know-what-to-say-in-the-face-of-such-sorrow-he-sat-in/) [Halldor Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Man is more perfect than god. Although this woman's doctrine, in which she was brought up from childhood, told her than all men were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/man-is-more-perfect-than-god-although-this-woman-s-doctrine-in-which/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [When a man has a flower in his life he builds a house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/when-a-man-has-a-flower-in-his-life-he-builds-a-house/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Pastor Jón Prímus: Do you remember when Úa shook her curls? Do you remember when she looked at us and laughed? Did she not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/pastor-j-n-pr-mus-do-you-remember-when-a-shook-her-curls-do-you/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [This was the first time that he has ever looked into the labyrinth of the human soul. He was very far from understanding what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/this-was-the-first-time-that-he-has-ever-looked-into-the-labyrinth-of/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“...nothing is true that cannot be proven--and therefore, it's not true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/nothing-is-true-that-cannot-be-proven-and-therefore-it-s-not-true/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“We Danes have always been charitable in our trading operations with Iceland. And when our deceased Highness monopolized trade with the island it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/we-danes-have-always-been-charitable-in-our-trading-operations-with/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) [Explore all 87 Halldór Laxness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) ## More Capitalism quotes > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Corporations have nothing to do with values, and they know it, and sometimes say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kierans/corporations-have-nothing-to-do-with-values-and-they-know-it-and/) [Eric Kierans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kierans/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) [F. A. Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-a-harper/) > [The free market is ugly and stupid, like going to the mall; the unfree market is just as ugly and just as stupid, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-free-market-is-ugly-and-stupid-like-going-to-the-mall-the-unfree/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Capitalism, communism ... it's all garbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mstislav-rostropovich/capitalism-communism-it-s-all-garbage/) [Mstislav Rostropovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mstislav-rostropovich/) > [There are no two countries with the same style of economic mechanism, with the same capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/there-are-no-two-countries-with-the-same-style-of-economic-mechanism/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Socialism is humanity's second nature. All politicians do is turn human vice into votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/socialism-is-humanity-s-second-nature-all-politicians-do-is-turn/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [“Scholars have long debated whether capital markets lead to appropriate levels of saving and investment for future generations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-weimer/scholars-have-long-debated-whether-capital-markets-lead-to/) [David L. Weimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-l-weimer/) > [“A car is one of the most interesting inventions, but driving is one of the most boring activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-car-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-inventions-but-driving-is-one-of/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 3,832 Capitalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That blasted family could never look at a living thing without wanting to make a profit out of it, preferably by killing it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Halldór Laxness" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/that-blasted-family-could-never-look-at-a-living-thing-without/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Capitalism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/that-blasted-family-could-never-look-at-a-living-thing-without/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/757/halld-r-laxness-6935_capitalism_that-blasted-family-could-never-look-at_1271737.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/757/halld-r-laxness-6935_capitalism_that-blasted-family-could-never-look-at_1271737.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/757/halld-r-laxness-6935_capitalism_that-blasted-family-could-never-look-at_1271737.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That blasted family could never look at a living thing without wanting to make a profit out of it…” — Halldór Laxness", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Halldór Laxness", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“That blasted family could never look...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/that-blasted-family-could-never-look-at-a-living-thing-without/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/that-blasted-family-could-never-look-at-a-living-thing-without/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```