Altruism Quote by J.D. Salinger
““Lawyers are alright, I guess — but it doesn't appeal to me", I said. "I mean they're alright if they go around saving innocent guys' lives all the time, and like that, but you don't do that kind of stuff if you're a lawyer. All you do is make a lot of dough and play golf and play bridge and buy cars and drink Martinis and look like a hot-shot. And besides, even if you did go around saving guys' lives and all, how would you know if you did it because you really wanted to save guys' lives, or because you did it because what you really wanted to do was be a terrific lawyer, with everybody slapping you on the back and congratulating you in court when the goddam trial was over, the reporters and everybody, the way it is in the dirty movies? How would you know you weren't being a phony? The trouble is you wouldn't.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Catcher in the Rye, 1951
Lawyers are stereotypically wealthy and superficial; the speaker doubts their authenticity and purpose.
In simple terms: Lawyers may seem materialistic and insincere.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about professions.
Themes
career perception
authenticity
materialism
identity
Mood
critical
philosophical
Type
literary
social commentary
When to use this quote
- choosing a profession
- ethical dilemmas
- career satisfaction
Key Concepts
sociology
career counseling
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines a fulfilling career?
- How can one stay authentic in a lucrative field?
A Different Perspective
Stereotypes can obscure individual values.
![“[Y]ou’re someone who took up birds in the first place because they fired your imagination; they fascinated you because ‘they seemed of all created beings the nearest to pure spirit- those little creatures with a normal temperature of 125°.” quote by J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1c6/j-d-salinger-560_animals_y-ou-re-someone-who-took-up-birds-in-the_86030.jpg)
