Master Likewise Quote by Jonathan Swift
““My master likewise mentioned another Quality which his Servants had discovered in several Yahoos, and to him was wholly unaccountable. He said, a Fancy would sometimes take a Yahoo, to retire into a Corner, to lie down and howl, and groan, and spurn away all that came near him, although he were young and fat, wanted neither Food nor Water; nor did the Servants imagine what could possibly ail him. And the only Remedy they found was to set him to hard Work, after which he would infallibly come to himself. To this I was silent out of Partiality to my own Kind; yet here I could plainly discover the true Seeds of Spleen, which only seizeth on the Lazy, the Luxurious, and the Rich; who, if they were forced to undergo the same Regimen I would undertake for the Cure.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Gulliver's Travels, 1726
Idle, indulgent individuals resist work; forcing them into labor restores order.
In simple terms: Lazy people need work to improve.
Key Takeaway
Encourage productive effort in the idle.
Themes
work
discipline
social order
Mood
satirical
critical
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- court
- personal reform
- education
- management
Key Concepts
human nature
motivation
behavioral correction
Questions to Reflect On
- What motivates the reluctant to work?
- Can structure replace coercion?
A Different Perspective
Not all individuals respond positively to forced labor; coercion can breed resentment.
