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Aspect Quote by John Ruskin

“Our large trading cities bear to me very nearly the aspect of monastic establishments in which the roar of the mill-wheel and the crane takes the place of other devotional music, and in which the worship of Mammon and Moloch is conducted with a tender reverence and an exact propriety; the merchant…” quote by John Ruskin
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“Our large trading cities bear to me very nearly the aspect of monastic establishments in which the roar of the mill-wheel and the crane takes the place of other devotional music, and in which the worship of Mammon and Moloch is conducted with a tender reverence and an exact propriety; the merchant rising to his Mammon matins, with the self-denial of an anchorite, and expiating the frivolities into which he maybe beguiled in the course of the day by late attendance at Mammon vespers.”

John Ruskin

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About This Quote

Commercial hubs function like modern monasteries, where devotion shifts from spiritual to material worship, yet they retain ritualistic reverence and disciplined practice.

In simple terms: Cities worship wealth with monastic devotion.

Key Takeaway

Materialism adopts sacred structures.

Themes

economics ritual materialism societal critique urban life

Mood

critical analytical

Type

social commentary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • corporate culture analysis
  • urban planning debates
  • financial market rituals
  • consumer behavior studies

Key Concepts

secular sacralization cultural anthropology

Practical Applications

  • introduce ethical reflection in business meetings
  • design workplaces with mindful spaces

Questions to Reflect On

  • In what ways do contemporary institutions mimic religious rituals?
  • Can material pursuits be genuinely sacred?
A Different Perspective

The analogy may romanticize medieval monastic discipline, ignoring modern ethical complexities.

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