--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [John D. Rockefeller] didn't care about…" description: "\"[John D. Rockefeller] didn't care about anyone he did anything just to be rich and be the only company standing without any competition. He destroyed a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ida-tarbell-15988_care_john-d-rockefeller-didn-t-care-about-any_876639.png" --- # \[John D. Rockefeller\] didn't care about anyone he did… ![“[John D. Rockefeller] didn't care about anyone he did anything just to be rich and be the only company standing without any competition. He destroyed anyone else.” quote by Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ida-tarbell-15988_care_john-d-rockefeller-didn-t-care-about-any_876639.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ida-tarbell-15988_care_john-d-rockefeller-didn-t-care-about-any_876639.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ida-tarbell-15988_care_john-d-rockefeller-didn-t-care-about-any_876639.png) > “\[John D. Rockefeller\] didn't care about anyone he did anything just to be rich and be the only company standing without any competition. He destroyed anyone else.” [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rockefeller prioritized personal wealth and monopoly over competition, using aggressive tactics to eliminate rivals. **In simple terms:** He wanted wealth and a monopoly, crushing competitors. Key Takeaway Beware of unchecked power in business. Themes greed monopoly competition ethics Mood critical analytical Type historical political economic When to use this quote - business strategy - regulatory policy - historical analysis - corporate ethics Key Concepts capitalism market dominance antitrust Questions to Reflect On - How can modern markets prevent similar monopolies? - What ethical responsibilities do CEOs have? A Different Perspective His methods caused massive social and economic harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [Competition Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition-destroyed-1008989/) [Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroyed/) [Didn Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-care-250029/) [John d rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-d-rockefeller-97537/) [John Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-rockefeller/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rockefeller/) [Rockefeller Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rockefeller-didn-1008988/) [Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing/) ## Related quotes > [ My final comment is that I still believe this man \[John D. Rockefeller\] is corrupt and he used unfair ways to become wealthy, all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/my-final-comment-is-that-i-still-believe-this-man-john-d-rockefeller/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [John D. Rockefeller was certainly the first to create a consumer product that was sold literally throughout the entire world. Those blue 5-gallon cans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-morris/john-d-rockefeller-was-certainly-the-first-to-create-a-consumer/) [Charles R. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-morris/) > [The extraordinary genius of John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie 100 years ago was their recognition that the great wealth they had amassed could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-rodin/the-extraordinary-genius-of-john-d-rockefeller-and-andrew-carnegie/) [Judith Rodin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-rodin/) > [I decided to write the book to open the eyes of the people of how corrupt John D. Rockefeller company was and the unfair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/i-decided-to-write-the-book-to-open-the-eyes-of-the-people-of-how/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [John D. Rockefeller apparently became more of a tightwad the richer he got. I don't know if it is true, but one story I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/john-d-rockefeller-apparently-became-more-of-a-tightwad-the-richer-he/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [“I would rather earn 1% off 100 people's efforts than 100% off my own efforts." - John D. Rockefeller”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-heiner/i-would-rather-earn-1-off-100-people-s-efforts-than-100-off-my-own/) [Dustin Heiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-heiner/) > [“The way to make money is to buy when blood is running in the street. John D. Rockefeller”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-le-carre/the-way-to-make-money-is-to-buy-when-blood-is-running-in-the-street/) [Georgia Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-le-carre/) > [John D. Rockefeller wanted to dominate oil, but Microsoft wants it all, you name it: cable, media, banking, car dealerships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/john-d-rockefeller-wanted-to-dominate-oil-but-microsoft-wants-it-all/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [Rockefeller and his associates did not build the Standard Oil Co. in the board rooms of Wall Street banks. They fought their way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/rockefeller-and-his-associates-did-not-build-the-standard-oil-co-in/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [It's a real enigma why people are so averse to real free market capitalism even now. Here we are, in the century that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/it-s-a-real-enigma-why-people-are-so-averse-to-real-free-market/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [“Musk’s vision, and, of late, execution seem to combine the best of Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller. With”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-s-vision-and-of-late-execution-seem-to-combine-the-best-of-henry/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [I'm sure there are many more people who can identify with failure and hardship in life than with the success of an Alexander Hamilton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/i-m-sure-there-are-many-more-people-who-can-identify-with-failure-and/) [Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/) > [“Nelson W. Aldrich of Rhode Island. Aldrich, a multimillionaire, a card-playing partner of J. Pierpont Morgan, the father-in-law of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/nelson-w-aldrich-of-rhode-island-aldrich-a-multimillionaire-a-card/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [I think there's a lot to learn from Rockefeller on how to pass legislation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cuomo/i-think-there-s-a-lot-to-learn-from-rockefeller-on-how-to-pass/) [Andrew Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cuomo/) > [David Rockefeller is the most conspicuous representative today of the ruling class, a multinational fraternity of men who shape the global economy and manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/david-rockefeller-is-the-most-conspicuous-representative-today-of-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) ## More by Ida Tarbell > [The whole force of the respectable circles to which I belonged, that respectable circle which knew as I did notthe value of security won,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/the-whole-force-of-the-respectable-circles-to-which-i-belonged-that/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [My whole theory for the improvement of society is based on a belief in the discipline and the education of the individual to self-control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/my-whole-theory-for-the-improvement-of-society-is-based-on-a-belief/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [Life is but a collection of habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/life-is-but-a-collection-of-habits/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [The surprise of the fight on the long day, of the experiments with the shorter one, has been not only that the business could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/the-surprise-of-the-fight-on-the-long-day-of-the-experiments-with-the/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [A mind which really lays hold of a subject is not easily detached from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/a-mind-which-really-lays-hold-of-a-subject-is-not-easily-detached/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [It's always a revolution, you know, when things occur of which you have never happened to hear!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/it-s-always-a-revolution-you-know-when-things-occur-of-which-you-have/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [In walking through the world there is a choice for a man to make. He can choose the fair and open path, the path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/in-walking-through-the-world-there-is-a-choice-for-a-man-to-make-he/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [There is no more effective medicine to apply to feverish public sentiments than figures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/there-is-no-more-effective-medicine-to-apply-to-feverish-public/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [I have never had illusions about the value of my individual contribution! I realized early that what a man or a woman does is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/i-have-never-had-illusions-about-the-value-of-my-individual/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [I decided to write the book to open the eyes of the people of how corrupt John D. Rockefeller company was and the unfair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/i-decided-to-write-the-book-to-open-the-eyes-of-the-people-of-how/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [Now, if the Standard Oil Company were the only concern in the country guilty of the practices which have given it monopolistic power, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/now-if-the-standard-oil-company-were-the-only-concern-in-the-country/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [Rockefeller and his associates did not build the Standard Oil Co. in the board rooms of Wall Street banks. They fought their way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/rockefeller-and-his-associates-did-not-build-the-standard-oil-co-in/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [Perhaps our national ambition to standardize ourselves has behind it the notion that democracy means standardization. But standardization is the surest way to destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/perhaps-our-national-ambition-to-standardize-ourselves-has-behind-it/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [Speculation in oil stock companies was another great evil ... From the first, oil men had to contend with wild fluctuations in the price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/speculation-in-oil-stock-companies-was-another-great-evil-from-the/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [Ripe old age, cheerful, useful, and understanding, is one of the finest influences in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/ripe-old-age-cheerful-useful-and-understanding-is-one-of-the-finest/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) [Explore all 41 Ida Tarbell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) ## More Care quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 19,019 Care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[John D. Rockefeller] didn't care about anyone he did anything just to be rich and be the only company standing without any competition. He destroyed anyone else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ida Tarbell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/john-d-rockefeller-didn-t-care-about-anyone-he-did-anything-just-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Care" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/john-d-rockefeller-didn-t-care-about-anyone-he-did-anything-just-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ida-tarbell-15988_care_john-d-rockefeller-didn-t-care-about-any_876639.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ida-tarbell-15988_care_john-d-rockefeller-didn-t-care-about-any_876639.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ida-tarbell-15988_care_john-d-rockefeller-didn-t-care-about-any_876639.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[John D. Rockefeller] didn't care about anyone he did anything just to be rich and be the only company…” — Ida Tarbell", "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": "Ida Tarbell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "[John D. Rockefeller] didn't care about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/john-d-rockefeller-didn-t-care-about-anyone-he-did-anything-just-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/john-d-rockefeller-didn-t-care-about-anyone-he-did-anything-just-to/#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 } } ] } ```