Capitalism Quote by Marge Piercy
““Whoever owned this place, these cities, whoever owned those glittering glassy office buildings in midtown filled with the purr of money turning over, those refineries over the river in Jersey with their flames licking the air, they gave nothing back. They took and took and left their garbage choking the air, the river, the sea itself. Choking her. A life of garbage. Human garbage. She had had too little of what her body needed and too little of what her soul could imagine. She had been able to do little in the years of her life, and that little had been ill paid or punished. The rest was garbage.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: "The Female Man" by Marge Piercy, 1975
The passage critiques relentless exploitation and environmental neglect, highlighting how systemic greed leaves both people and nature in ruin.
In simple terms: Greed harms people and planet.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for sustainable, equitable practices.
Themes
environment
exploitation
social injustice
urban decay
Mood
urgent
somber
Type
activist
reflective
When to use this quote
- activism
- community building
- policy advocacy
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
industrial pollution
economic inequality
urban planning
Questions to Reflect On
- What actions can you take to reduce waste?
- How can communities hold corporations accountable?
A Different Perspective
Complex systemic issues are hard to solve alone.
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
