Nature Quote by John Steinbeck
““There is a crime here that goes beyond denunciation. There is a sorrow here that weeping cannot symbolize. There is a failure here that topples all our success. The fertile earth, the straight tree rows, the sturdy trunks, and the ripe fruit. And children dying of pellagra must die because a profit cannot be taken from an orange. And coroners must fill in the certificates—died of malnutrition—because the food must rot, must be forced to rot.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, 1939
The quote condemns systemic neglect where profit motives override basic human needs, leading to suffering and death.
In simple terms: Profit over people causes suffering.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize human welfare over profit.
Themes
social injustice
poverty
health
environment
economics
Mood
somber
critical
Type
political
social commentary
When to use this quote
- rural poverty
- food security
- public health policy
- corporate ethics
Key Concepts
capitalism
moral failure
public health
agricultural policy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance profit with basic human needs?
- What policies could prevent such systemic failures?
A Different Perspective
The statement may overlook individual agency and non‑economic causes of malnutrition.
![“Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three [great teachers] did not tell - they catalyzed a burning desire to know. Under their influence, the horizons sprung wide and fear went away and the unknown became knowable. But most important of…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/john-steinbeck-71_art_teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-t_1738.jpg)
