Advertisement Quote by Mary Doria Russell
““The new fashions sold in department stores had thrown skilled American seamstresses out of work, you see. They’d been displaced by immigrant girls doing piecework for a pittance in terrible sweatshops. I refused to patronize a garment industry that exploited its desperately poor workers so heartlessly. And if that wasn’t enough to keep me out of stores, there was this as well: I was determined to resist that shameless sister of war propaganda— the advertising industry.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Sparrow, 1996
The author rejects consumerism that exploits vulnerable workers and equates advertising with war propaganda, choosing ethical resistance.
In simple terms: Reject buying from exploitative fashion and ads.
Key Takeaway
Avoid supporting unethical labor and propaganda.
Themes
ethics
consumerism
labor rights
media criticism
Mood
critical
determined
Type
ethical
political
When to use this quote
- shopping decisions
- voting
- supporting fair‑trade brands
- advocating labor reforms
Key Concepts
exploitation
propaganda
social responsibility
Questions to Reflect On
- How can individuals effectively influence large industries?
- What alternatives exist for ethical consumption?
A Different Perspective
The quote may overlook the complexity of global supply chains and personal agency.
![“[John] watched the flames for a while. "I would have to say that I find God in serving His children. 'When I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me to drink, I was a stanger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you cared for me, imprisoned and you came to me.'"…” quote by Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a0f/mary-doria-russell-3319_break-your-heart_john-watched-the-flames-for-a-while-i-wo_172417.jpg)
