--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The system was elementary, as you can…" description: "\"“The system was elementary, as you can see. Naturally these \"lotteries\" failed. Their moral virtue was nil. They were not directed at all of man's facu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/jorge-luis-borges-275_failed_the-system-was-elementary-as-you-can-see_2876905.jpg" --- # The system was elementary, as you can see. Naturally these… ![“The system was elementary, as you can see. Naturally these "lotteries" failed. Their moral virtue was nil. They were not directed at all of man's faculties, but only at hope.” quote by Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/jorge-luis-borges-275_failed_the-system-was-elementary-as-you-can-see_2876905.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/jorge-luis-borges-275_failed_the-system-was-elementary-as-you-can-see_2876905.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/jorge-luis-borges-275_failed_the-system-was-elementary-as-you-can-see_2876905.jpg) > ““The system was elementary, as you can see. Naturally these "lotteries" failed. Their moral virtue was nil. They were not directed at all of man's faculties, but only at hope.”” [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The lottery’s failure shows that systems lacking moral purpose and holistic engagement are empty, offering only false hope. **In simple terms:** Systems need moral purpose and full engagement. Key Takeaway Design meaningful, holistic systems. Themes philosophy ethics systems Mood reflective critical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - educational reform - public policy design - community projects Key Concepts moral virtue human faculties hope meaninglessness Questions to Reflect On - What values should guide system design? - How to ensure hope is constructive? A Different Perspective Purely hopeful incentives without substance can backfire. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Lottery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lottery/) ## Related quotes > [“I guess I think of lotteries as a tax on the mathematically challenged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-jones/i-guess-i-think-of-lotteries-as-a-tax-on-the-mathematically-challenged/) Roger Jones > [Lotteries boost state revenues in the short run but don't feed the economy in the long run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-warren-kindt/lotteries-boost-state-revenues-in-the-short-run-but-don-t-feed-the/) [John Warren Kindt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-warren-kindt/) > [Lotteries, a tax upon imbeciles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lotteries-a-tax-upon-imbeciles/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are no races. Only lotteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-anquetil/there-are-no-races-only-lotteries/) [Jacques Anquetil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-anquetil/) > [That the chance of gain is naturally over-valued, we may learn from the universal success of lotteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/that-the-chance-of-gain-is-naturally-over-valued-we-may-learn-from/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [I have never played the lottery in my life and never will. Voltaire described lotteries as a tax on stupidity. More specifically, I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tammet/i-have-never-played-the-lottery-in-my-life-and-never-will-voltaire/) [Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tammet/) > [European lotteries are the tax on fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camillo-benso-count-of-cavour/european-lotteries-are-the-tax-on-fools/) [Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camillo-benso-count-of-cavour/) > [There is no moral difference between gambling at cards or in lotteries or on the race track and gambling in the stock market. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-is-no-moral-difference-between-gambling-at-cards-or-in/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“Public lotteries are essentially regressive taxes imposed on the poor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/public-lotteries-are-essentially-regressive-taxes-imposed-on-the-poor/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [Lotteries are just one way to provide positive reinforcement. Their power comes from the fact that the chance of winning the prize is overvalued.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thaler/lotteries-are-just-one-way-to-provide-positive-reinforcement-their/) [Richard Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thaler/) > [“Lotteries are how the rich steal from the poor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/lotteries-are-how-the-rich-steal-from-the-poor/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“There are many stories and accounts about the winners of lotteries who are jubilant when they win, but whose lives descend into a nightmare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-many-stories-and-accounts-about-the-winners-of-lotteries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All too often, lotteries only add to the problem of the financially disadvantaged by taking money from them and giving nothing of value in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/all-too-often-lotteries-only-add-to-the-problem-of-the-financially/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [“But in the parent department, he had won the lottery. So, he'd always known that when he finally told them, they'd make him feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corey-whaley/but-in-the-parent-department-he-had-won-the-lottery-so-he-d-always/) [John Corey Whaley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corey-whaley/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More by Jorge Luis Borges > [“No hables a menos que puedas mejorar el silencio.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/no-hables-a-menos-que-puedas-mejorar-el-silencio/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [Like all writers, he measured the achievements of others by what they had accomplished, asking of them that they measure him by what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/like-all-writers-he-measured-the-achievements-of-others-by-what-they/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [How can we manage to illuminate the pathos of our lives?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/how-can-we-manage-to-illuminate-the-pathos-of-our-lives/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [Loneliness does not worry me; life is difficult enough, putting up with yourself and with your own habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/loneliness-does-not-worry-me-life-is-difficult-enough-putting-up-with/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [The fact is that all writers create their precursors. 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I nearly gave in to the deep anger and resentment harbored by everyone around me... Whatever talents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/i-almost-failed-out-of-high-school-i-nearly-gave-in-to-the-deep-anger/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [Actually, I failed drama in high school because of nerves. I wasn't able to memorize the words. I had complete stage fright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-marie/actually-i-failed-drama-in-high-school-because-of-nerves-i-wasn-t/) [Constance Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-marie/) > [“WASHINGTON—Citigroup Inc. failed to get Federal Reserve”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/washington-citigroup-inc-failed-to-get-federal-reserve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I tried to go to college; I just picked a trade, did a plumbing test - and failed. 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