Defined Quote by Lewis H. Lapham
“Under the rules of a society that cannot distinguish between profit and profiteering, between money defined as necessity and money defined as luxury, murder is occasionally obligatory and always permissible.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Harper’s Magazine (1990s)
Critiques a society that blurs profit with exploitation, making murder seem permissible
In simple terms: When profit overrides morality, violence becomes justified
Key Takeaway
Question moral cost of profit‑driven policies
Themes
ethics
profit
violence
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- business regulation
- legal reform
- public discourse
Key Concepts
capitalism
moral philosophy
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How does profit motive influence policy decisions?
- What safeguards can prevent moral erosion?
A Different Perspective
Economic incentives can obscure ethical boundaries
![“The self is defined psychologically as the psychic totality of the individual. Anything that a [person] postulates as being a greater totality than [oneself] can become a symbol of the self. For this reason the symbol of the self is not always as total as the definition would require.” quote by Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/251/carl-jung-274_defined_the-self-is-defined-psychologically-as-t_7148.jpg)
![“[For American consumer society], the country's reserves of ignorance constitute a natural resource as precious as the Mississippi River or the long-lost herds of buffalo.” quote by Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6b0/lewis-h-lapham-7190_buffalo_for-american-consumer-society-the-countr_157122.jpg)
