--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The professional arsonist builds vacant…" description: "\"The professional arsonist builds vacant lots for money.\" — Jimmy Breslin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/jimmy-breslin-9498_arsonist_the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant_1827865.png" --- # The professional arsonist builds vacant lots for money. ![“The professional arsonist builds vacant lots for money.” quote by Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/jimmy-breslin-9498_arsonist_the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant_1827865.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/jimmy-breslin-9498_arsonist_the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant_1827865.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/jimmy-breslin-9498_arsonist_the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant_1827865.png) > “The professional arsonist builds vacant lots for money.” [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A professional arsonist creates empty spaces to profit from rebuilding or selling them. **In simple terms:** Arsonist makes money by destroying property. Key Takeaway Consider the hidden costs of destructive profit motives. Themes greed destruction urban decay Mood cynical critical Type social commentary ethical critique When to use this quote - real estate development - insurance fraud - urban renewal - environmental impact Key Concepts Economic exploitation ethical decay Questions to Reflect On - What drives people to profit from destruction? - How can societies deter profit from crime? A Different Perspective Such actions often ignore human safety and legal consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arsonist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arsonist/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ## Related quotes > [If in a city we had six vacant lots available to the youngsters of a certain neighborhood for playing ball, it might be "development"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/if-in-a-city-we-had-six-vacant-lots-available-to-the-youngsters-of-a/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [Museums and bookstores should feel, I think, like vacant lots - places where the demands on us are our own demands, where the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/museums-and-bookstores-should-feel-i-think-like-vacant-lots-places/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [There are no vacant lots in nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/there-are-no-vacant-lots-in-nature/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [I remember New York in the '80s as a place with vacant lots that would eventually give over to nature. Weeds would grow up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-remember-new-york-in-the-80s-as-a-place-with-vacant-lots-that-would/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [When I grew up, we played in vacant lots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/when-i-grew-up-we-played-in-vacant-lots/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [I'm very stodgy. I'm always looking at old photos of California and Los Angeles, knowing that what I'm looking at is now full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-ruscha/i-m-very-stodgy-i-m-always-looking-at-old-photos-of-california-and/) [Edward Ruscha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-ruscha/) > [Whatever art offered the men and women of previous eras, what it offers our own, it seems to me, is space - a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/whatever-art-offered-the-men-and-women-of-previous-eras-what-it/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“The world revolves like ancient women, gathering fuel in vacant lots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot-2/the-world-revolves-like-ancient-women-gathering-fuel-in-vacant-lots/) [T.S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot-2/) > [“Gods have a way of sprouting from vacant lots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dawson/gods-have-a-way-of-sprouting-from-vacant-lots/) Robert Dawson > [We have long known that former president Donald Trump is the kind of racial arsonist who brings a gas can to an inferno.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/we-have-long-known-that-former-president-donald-trump-is-the-kind-of/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [The innovative leader has to be an arsonist and a firefighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sloane/the-innovative-leader-has-to-be-an-arsonist-and-a-firefighter/) [Paul Sloane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sloane/) > [“LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BE UNHAPPY...SO LAUGH INSANELY, KISS SOFTLY, AND MAKE LOVE PASSIONATELY…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muffin/life-is-too-short-to-be-unhappy-so-laugh-insanely-kiss-softly-and/) Muffin > [What's taken God 200 years to create was wiped out in a couple of days by what was apparently an arsonist, And it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-janklow/what-s-taken-god-200-years-to-create-was-wiped-out-in-a-couple-of/) [Bill Janklow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-janklow/) > [“I LIKE FIRE... I LIKE THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF IT... I JUST COULDN'T STOP MYSELF FROM PLAYING WITH... - DOES it mean that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/i-like-fire-i-like-the-whole-concept-of-it-i-just-couldn-t-stop/) Deyth Banger > [“The conscientious arsonist doesn't just set the building on fire; first he fills the fire extinguishers with petrol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holt/the-conscientious-arsonist-doesn-t-just-set-the-building-on-fire/) [Tom Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holt/) ## More by Jimmy Breslin > [Trump survives by Corum's Law. This is a famous, well-tested theory and is named after Bill Corum, who once wrote sports for the Hearst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/trump-survives-by-corum-s-law-this-is-a-famous-well-tested-theory-and/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [Governments mostly don't do much. And you've also got to understand the level of incompetence out there. Nobody knows what they're doing. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/governments-mostly-don-t-do-much-and-you-ve-also-got-to-understand/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [“woman came to the checkout counter. She took a small order out of the shopping cart and placed it on the conveyor. There was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/woman-came-to-the-checkout-counter-she-took-a-small-order-out-of-the/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [Newspapers are so boring. How can you read a newspaper that starts with a 51-word lead sentence?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/newspapers-are-so-boring-how-can-you-read-a-newspaper-that-starts/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [Media, the plural of mediocrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/media-the-plural-of-mediocrity/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [“Pointing to the mutual envy of businessmen and politicians who are often out of their field in each other's area,, the author quotes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/pointing-to-the-mutual-envy-of-businessmen-and-politicians-who-are/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [Anything that isn't writing is easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/anything-that-isn-t-writing-is-easy/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [The other feature is a gymnasium named after another dead politician who was gifted with fast and extremely sure hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/the-other-feature-is-a-gymnasium-named-after-another-dead-politician/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [Designed by architects with honorable intentions but hands of palsy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/designed-by-architects-with-honorable-intentions-but-hands-of-palsy/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [Speaks cheerful English and in the past has written this language with a paintbrush that talks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/speaks-cheerful-english-and-in-the-past-has-written-this-language/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [Trump is larger than life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/trump-is-larger-than-life/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [Out in the ocean, a rope is put around the man's neck. The other end of the rope is attached to an old jukebox…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/out-in-the-ocean-a-rope-is-put-around-the-man-s-neck-the-other-end-of/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [True New Yorkers do not really seek information about the outside world. They feel that if anything is not in New York it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/true-new-yorkers-do-not-really-seek-information-about-the-outside/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [I'm the best person ever to have a column in this business. There's never been anybody in my league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/i-m-the-best-person-ever-to-have-a-column-in-this-business-there-s/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [When you leave New York you ain't going anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/when-you-leave-new-york-you-ain-t-going-anywhere/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) [Explore all 72 Jimmy Breslin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) ## More Arsonist quotes > [“The conscientious arsonist doesn't just set the building on fire; first he fills the fire extinguishers with petrol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holt/the-conscientious-arsonist-doesn-t-just-set-the-building-on-fire/) [Tom Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holt/) > [“I LIKE FIRE... I LIKE THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF IT... I JUST COULDN'T STOP MYSELF FROM PLAYING WITH... - DOES it mean that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/i-like-fire-i-like-the-whole-concept-of-it-i-just-couldn-t-stop/) Deyth Banger > [What's taken God 200 years to create was wiped out in a couple of days by what was apparently an arsonist, And it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-janklow/what-s-taken-god-200-years-to-create-was-wiped-out-in-a-couple-of/) [Bill Janklow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-janklow/) > [“LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BE UNHAPPY...SO LAUGH INSANELY, KISS SOFTLY, AND MAKE LOVE PASSIONATELY…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muffin/life-is-too-short-to-be-unhappy-so-laugh-insanely-kiss-softly-and/) Muffin > [The innovative leader has to be an arsonist and a firefighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sloane/the-innovative-leader-has-to-be-an-arsonist-and-a-firefighter/) [Paul Sloane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sloane/) > [We have long known that former president Donald Trump is the kind of racial arsonist who brings a gas can to an inferno.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/we-have-long-known-that-former-president-donald-trump-is-the-kind-of/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [“The arsonist and the firefighter occupy the same ground; time is the only difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faisal-khosa/the-arsonist-and-the-firefighter-occupy-the-same-ground-time-is-the/) Faisal Khosa > [“I didn't realize there was a ranking." I said. "Sadie frowned. "What do you mean?" "A ranking," I said. "You know, what's crazier than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/i-didn-t-realize-there-was-a-ranking-i-said-sadie-frowned-what-do-you/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [According to the oil and gas industry and their proponents, I am a communist, terrorist, Nazi, Russian-sympathizing, anti-American, arsonist, extremist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-fox/according-to-the-oil-and-gas-industry-and-their-proponents-i-am-a/) [Josh Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-fox/) > [We now know that a neo-conservative is an arsonist who sets the house on fire and six years later boasts that no one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-an-arsonist-who-sets-the-house/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [The serial arsonist is the most difficult to apprehend because the evidence is burned up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wambaugh/the-serial-arsonist-is-the-most-difficult-to-apprehend-because-the/) [Joseph Wambaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wambaugh/) > [I always had a pretty serious fascination with fire. Luckily I'm not an arsonist!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-always-had-a-pretty-serious-fascination-with-fire-luckily-i-m-not/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [A good organizer is a social arsonist who goes around setting people on fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ross/a-good-organizer-is-a-social-arsonist-who-goes-around-setting-people/) [Fred Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ross/) > [“Not enough youths fighting windmills. And the old are fearful, jaded or dead. Do not ask me what to do. I am just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psyche-roxas-mendoza/not-enough-youths-fighting-windmills-and-the-old-are-fearful-jaded-or/) [psyche roxas-mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psyche-roxas-mendoza/) > [God is a refiner, not an arsonist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neva-coyle/god-is-a-refiner-not-an-arsonist/) [Neva Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neva-coyle/) [Browse all 23 Arsonist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arsonist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The professional arsonist builds vacant lots for money.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jimmy Breslin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant-lots-for-money/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arsonist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant-lots-for-money/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/jimmy-breslin-9498_arsonist_the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant_1827865.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/jimmy-breslin-9498_arsonist_the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant_1827865.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/jimmy-breslin-9498_arsonist_the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant_1827865.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The professional arsonist builds vacant lots for money.” — Jimmy Breslin", "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": "Jimmy Breslin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The professional arsonist builds vacant lots...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant-lots-for-money/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant-lots-for-money/#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 } } ] } ```