Agony Quote by Iain Banks
““The point is, there is no feasible excuse for what we are, for what we have made of ourselves. We have chosen to put profits before people, money before morality, dividends before decency, fanaticism before fairness, and our own trivial comforts before the unspeakable agonies of others.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Bridge, 1986
Criticizes prioritizing profit and comfort over moral responsibility, highlighting societal selfishness.
In simple terms: People often put money before morality, ignoring others’ suffering.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize ethics over profit.
Themes
ethics
profit
social justice
humanity
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
philosophical
critical.
When to use this quote
- corporate decisions
- policy making
- personal choices
- activism
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
capitalism critique
human rights
Questions to Reflect On
- What personal sacrifices are needed to uphold fairness?
- Can profit coexist with genuine compassion?
A Different Perspective
Economic pressures often force compromises on ethics.
![“[W]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range of music, and will not vibrate in the least under a touch that fills others with tremulous rapture or quivering agony.” quote by George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9be/george-eliot-84_agony_w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves_12409.jpg)
