Able Quote by Jane Goodall
“…I understood why those who had lived through war or economic disasters, and who had built for themselves a good life and a high standard of living, were rightly proud to be able to provide for their children those things which they themselves had not had. And why their children, inevitably, took those things for granted. It meant that new values and new expectations had crept into our societies along with new standards of living. Hence the materialistic and often greedy and selfish lifestyle of so many young people in the Western world, especially in the United States.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: TED Talk, 2017
Prosperity can breed entitlement, causing younger generations to overlook the struggles that built their comforts.
In simple terms: Wealth leads to taking things for granted.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate gratitude and humility across generations.
Themes
generational wealth
social responsibility
materialism
Mood
concerned
hopeful
Type
social
ethical
When to use this quote
- family budgeting
- education curricula
- community service
- policy making
Key Concepts
Ethical consumption
intergenerational empathy
Questions to Reflect On
- What values can we teach to counter materialism?
- How can we honor past sacrifices in daily life?
A Different Perspective
Changing entrenched consumer habits is challenging.
