Customer Quote by Matthew B. Crawford
![“Stripped of the kind of judgments that are at the very heart of the idea of "credit", shot through with bad faith, [the mortgage broker's] work is now predicated on irresponsibility, rooted in the absence of community. Whatever lingering fiduciary consciousness he may have has become a liability…” quote by Matthew B. Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b01/matthew-b-crawford-26537_rest-of-life_stripped-of-the-kind-of-judgments-that-a_1991114.jpg)
““Stripped of the kind of judgments that are at the very heart of the idea of "credit", shot through with bad faith, [the mortgage broker's] work is now predicated on irresponsibility, rooted in the absence of community. Whatever lingering fiduciary consciousness he may have has become a liability, given the general rush to irresponsibility by his competitors. The work cannot sustain him as a human being. Rather, it damages the best part of him, and it becomes imperative to partition work off from the rest of life.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Shop Class as Soul, 2009
The quote critiques how modern work, especially in finance, erodes ethical responsibility, turning professionals into detached, reckless actors.
In simple terms: Work can strip away moral duty and harm personal integrity.
Key Takeaway
Guard personal ethics against toxic work cultures.
Themes
ethics
workplace culture
individual responsibility
Mood
cynical
reflective
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- financial services
- mortgage brokerage
- personal well‑being
- career decisions
Key Concepts
moral decay
social alienation
professional identity
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you maintain integrity in a pressure‑filled job?
- What structures can protect ethical behavior?
A Different Perspective
The claim may overgeneralize; not all brokers act irresponsibly.
![“His treatment of mechanical problems wasn't divorced from the worldly situations in which they arise, and as a result [John Muir's service manual on Volkswagens] is extraordinarily clear and useful. It has a human quality, as well.” quote by Matthew B. Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8f3/matthew-b-crawford-26537_muir_his-treatment-of-mechanical-problems-was_2566071.jpg)
