--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If, in the present chaotic and shameful…" description: "\"If, in the present chaotic and shameful struggle for existence, when organized society offers a premium on greed, cruelty, and deceit, men can be found..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b04/lucy-parsons-31985_aloof_if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-s_615033.jpg" --- # If, in the present chaotic and shameful struggle for… ![“If, in the present chaotic and shameful struggle for existence, when organized society offers a premium on greed, cruelty, and deceit, men can be found who stand aloof and almost alone in their determination to work for good rather than gold” quote by Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b04/lucy-parsons-31985_aloof_if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-s_615033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b04/lucy-parsons-31985_aloof_if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-s_615033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b04/lucy-parsons-31985_aloof_if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-s_615033.jpg) > “If, in the present chaotic and shameful struggle for existence, when organized society offers a premium on greed, cruelty, and deceit, men can be found who stand aloof and almost alone in their determination to work for good rather than gold” [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In a world driven by greed and cruelty, some individuals choose integrity and altruism over profit. **In simple terms:** Choosing good over gold despite societal pressure. Key Takeaway Prioritize ethical work over monetary gain. Themes integrity altruism social critique morality individualism Mood determined hopeful critical Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - activism - community organizing - personal decision making - leadership - ethical entrepreneurship Key Concepts ethical philosophy social responsibility human nature Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to act ethically when others profit from vice? - How can societies reward integrity? A Different Perspective Such idealism may be impractical without systemic change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aloof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aloof/) [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Deceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceit/) [Determination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determination/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Greed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greed/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Struggle for existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle-for-existence/) ## Related quotes > [If, in the present chaotic and shameful struggle for existence, when organized society offers a premium on greed, cruelty, and deceit, men can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-struggle-for-existence-when/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [“From what Ayyan had heard of the battles of the Brahmins, it would be bloodless but brutal. They would fight like demons armed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/from-what-ayyan-had-heard-of-the-battles-of-the-brahmins-it-would-be/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [In other words, I’m against cheating, greed, cruelty, racism, imperialism, religious fundamentalism, treason, and the seemingly limitless capacity for hypocrisy shown by Bush and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/in-other-words-i-m-against-cheating-greed-cruelty-racism-imperialism/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [“There are six billion egos living on this planet. Can you not see why the world is in such a sorry state? Can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-bruggeman/there-are-six-billion-egos-living-on-this-planet-can-you-not-see-why/) Mary Bruggeman > [“A more miserable life is better...believe me..than an existence protected by an organized society...where everything is calculated…where everything is perfect...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-more-miserable-life-is-better-believe-me-than-an-existence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even the most miserable life is better than a sheltered existence in an organized society where everything is calculated and perfected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/even-the-most-miserable-life-is-better-than-a-sheltered-existence-in/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [“The limit of the law is the limit of enforcement—the real limit of organized society.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-limit-of-the-law-is-the-limit-of-enforcement-the-real-limit-of/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Every human society must of necessity be composed of several strata. You may disturb it temporarily into an amorphous whole by a revolution such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-sabatini/every-human-society-must-of-necessity-be-composed-of-several-strata/) [Rafael Sabatini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-sabatini/) > [The Right of all members of society to form their own beliefs and communicate them freely to others must be regarded as an essential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-i-emerson/the-right-of-all-members-of-society-to-form-their-own-beliefs-and/) [Thomas I. Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-i-emerson/) > [“And that is the terrible myth of organized society, that everything that's done through the established system is legal -- and that word has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-kunstler/and-that-is-the-terrible-myth-of-organized-society-that-everything/) William M. Kunstler > [We must do jobs we detest because we are part of an organized society, and if everyone did what they wanted to do, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-must-do-jobs-we-detest-because-we-are-part-of-an-organized-society/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Anarchism means all sort of things to different people, but the traditional anarchists' movements assumed that there'd be a highly organized society, just one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/anarchism-means-all-sort-of-things-to-different-people-but-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Taxes, after all, are dues that we pay for the privileges of membership in an organized society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/taxes-after-all-are-dues-that-we-pay-for-the-privileges-of-membership/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“And that’s the terrible myth of organized society. That everything that’s done through the established system is legal. And that word has a powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-kunstler/and-that-s-the-terrible-myth-of-organized-society-that-everything/) William M. Kunstler > [The facts of variability, of the struggle for existence, of adaptation to conditions, were notorious enough; but none of us had suspected that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-facts-of-variability-of-the-struggle-for-existence-of-adaptation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Lucy Parsons > [Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/never-be-deceived-that-the-rich-will-allow-you-to-vote-away-their/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [We must devastate the avenues where the wealthy live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/we-must-devastate-the-avenues-where-the-wealthy-live/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [If, in the present chaotic and shameful struggle for existence, when organized society offers a premium on greed, cruelty, and deceit, men can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-struggle-for-existence-when/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [The coming change can only come through a revolution, because the possessing class will not allow a peaceful change to take place; still we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/the-coming-change-can-only-come-through-a-revolution-because-the/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [“Never since the days of the Spartan Helots has history recorded such brutality as has been ever since the war and as is now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/never-since-the-days-of-the-spartan-helots-has-history-recorded-such/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [Anarchists know that a long period of education must precede any great fundamental change in society, hence they do not believe in vote begging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/anarchists-know-that-a-long-period-of-education-must-precede-any/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [Can you not see that it is the INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM and not the boss which must be changed?.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/can-you-not-see-that-it-is-the-industrial-system-and-not-the-boss/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [Anarchists know that a long period of education must precede any great fundamental change in society, hence they do not believe in vote begging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/anarchists-know-that-a-long-period-of-education-must-precede-any-2/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [Anarchism has but one infallible, unchangeable motto, 'Freedom.' Freedom to discover any truth, freedom to develop, to live naturally and fully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/anarchism-has-but-one-infallible-unchangeable-motto-freedom-freedom/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [Strike not for a few cents more an hour, because the price of living will be raised faster still, but strike for all you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/strike-not-for-a-few-cents-more-an-hour-because-the-price-of-living/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [Let every dirty, lousy tramp arm himself with a revolver or a knife, and lay in wait on the steps of the palaces of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/let-every-dirty-lousy-tramp-arm-himself-with-a-revolver-or-a-knife/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [So many able writers have shown that the unjust institutions which work so much misery and suffering to the masses have their root in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/so-many-able-writers-have-shown-that-the-unjust-institutions-which/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [Concentrated power can be always wielded in the interest of the few and at the expense of the many. Government in its last analysis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/concentrated-power-can-be-always-wielded-in-the-interest-of-the-few/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [Oh, Misery, I have drunk thy cup of sorrow to its dregs, but I am still a rebel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/oh-misery-i-have-drunk-thy-cup-of-sorrow-to-its-dregs-but-i-am-still/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) > [“Anarchism has but one infallible, unchangeable motto, "Freedom." Freedom to discover any truth, freedom to develop, to live naturally and fully." — Lucy Parsons”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/anarchism-has-but-one-infallible-unchangeable-motto-freedom-freedom-2/) [Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) [Explore all 16 Lucy Parsons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/) ## More Aloof quotes > [Against the suffering which may come upon one from human relationships the readiest safeguard is voluntary isolation, keeping oneself aloof from other people. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/against-the-suffering-which-may-come-upon-one-from-human/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [To combat social awkwardness, I would just act like I couldn't be bothered - that kind of aloof persona or aloof demeanor. It's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/to-combat-social-awkwardness-i-would-just-act-like-i-couldn-t-be/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [If someone were plucked from the group and given those responsibilities, they might find themselves growing more aloof, just by virtue of that promotion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/if-someone-were-plucked-from-the-group-and-given-those/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [Hungry wailing standeth not aloof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hungry-wailing-standeth-not-aloof/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [ \[Kellyanne Conway\]taking \[Jennifer\] Palmieri to school. You had a lousy candidate, you've got a candidate who's arrogant and aloof and didn't even campaign in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/kellyanne-conway-taking-jennifer-palmieri-to-school-you-had-a-lousy/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“Relax; the world's not watching that closely. It's too busy contemplating itself in the mirror.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/relax-the-world-s-not-watching-that-closely-it-s-too-busy/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Love's not love When it is mingled with regards that stand Aloof from th' entire point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-s-not-love-when-it-is-mingled-with-regards-that-stand-aloof-from/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is well known that we fight in God's cause... but unless God helps us by a miracle the English, who have faster and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-rodger/it-is-well-known-that-we-fight-in-god-s-cause-but-unless-god-helps-us/) [Nicholas Rodger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-rodger/) > [There comes a terrible moment to many souls when the great movements of the world, the larger destinies of mankind, which have lain aloof…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-comes-a-terrible-moment-to-many-souls-when-the-great-movements/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [My father was aloof, very strange and very distant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/my-father-was-aloof-very-strange-and-very-distant/) [Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/) > [If you're a Brit you kinda get used to people being cold and aloof and just generally arrogant - particularly musicians. (Compared to Londoners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-gilmore/if-you-re-a-brit-you-kinda-get-used-to-people-being-cold-and-aloof/) [Thea Gilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-gilmore/) > [People tell me all the time that I look forbidding or aloof. That doesn't bother me much - I am fairly private, withdrawn, and...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-ocasek/people-tell-me-all-the-time-that-i-look-forbidding-or-aloof-that/) [Ric Ocasek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-ocasek/) > [I know that keeping aloof is not a wise thing but since I have nothing to prove, please don't depict me as an escapist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-know-that-keeping-aloof-is-not-a-wise-thing-but-since-i-have/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [When I am with French people, I am not aloof because I belong to them. My view is that the French president belongs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-macron/when-i-am-with-french-people-i-am-not-aloof-because-i-belong-to-them/) [Emmanuel Macron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-macron/) > [I was drawn to be very solitary as a scholar. I lived a very quiet life, aloof, with my books, with my walks in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-was-drawn-to-be-very-solitary-as-a-scholar-i-lived-a-very-quiet/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 146 Aloof quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aloof/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If, in the present chaotic and shameful struggle for existence, when organized society offers a premium on greed, cruelty, and deceit, men can be found who stand aloof and almost alone in their determination to work for good rather than gold", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lucy Parsons" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-struggle-for-existence-when-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aloof" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-struggle-for-existence-when-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b04/lucy-parsons-31985_aloof_if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-s_615033.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b04/lucy-parsons-31985_aloof_if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-s_615033.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b04/lucy-parsons-31985_aloof_if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-s_615033.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If, in the present chaotic and shameful struggle for existence, when organized society offers a premium on…” — Lucy Parsons", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lucy Parsons", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If, in the present chaotic and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-struggle-for-existence-when-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/if-in-the-present-chaotic-and-shameful-struggle-for-existence-when-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```