---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The 'economy' became a god such as never…"
description: "\"The 'economy' became a god such as never before, and a happy, successful society was one that could please this god - sometimes by sacrificing beautifu..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/michael-leunig-2274_angry_the-economy-became-a-god-such-as-never-b_1315660.jpg"
---

#  The 'economy' became a god such as never before, and a…

![“The 'economy' became a god such as never before, and a happy, successful society was one that could please this god - sometimes by sacrificing beautiful things - to keep the deity from getting angry and harming the people by withdrawing favours.” quote by Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/michael-leunig-2274_angry_the-economy-became-a-god-such-as-never-b_1315660.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/michael-leunig-2274_angry_the-economy-became-a-god-such-as-never-b_1315660.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/michael-leunig-2274_angry_the-economy-became-a-god-such-as-never-b_1315660.jpg)

> “The 'economy' became a god such as never before, and a happy, successful society was one that could please this god - sometimes by sacrificing beautiful things - to keep the deity from getting angry and harming the people by withdrawing favours.”

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Society elevates wealth to a deity, demanding sacrifices that may erode cultural and aesthetic values.

**In simple terms:** People worship money, losing beauty and balance.

Key Takeaway

Balance prosperity with preserving beauty.

Themes

materialism culture values

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical observational

When to use this quote

- policy making
- personal budgeting
- urban planning
- art funding

Key Concepts

consumerism sacrifice social pressure

Questions to Reflect On

- What are you willing to sacrifice for success?
- How can societies protect beauty while thriving?

A Different Perspective

Economic focus can overlook human well‑being and environmental health.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beautiful things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-things/) [Became](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/became/) [Before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Deity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deity/) [Deity Getting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deity-getting-3026599/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Economy God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy-god-1147687/) [Favours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favours/) [Getting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting/) [Getting Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-angry/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy/) [Harming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harming/) [Keep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) [Sacrificing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrificing/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Society God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-god-1233952/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-society-3022874/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Things Deity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-deity-4368029/)

## Related quotes

> [Blasphemy: a law to protect an all-powerful, supernatural deity from getting its feelings hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/blasphemy-a-law-to-protect-an-all-powerful-supernatural-deity-from/)

[Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/)

> [The first question here, then, is not "What is best for my soul?" nor is it even "What is most useful to humanity?" But-transcending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/the-first-question-here-then-is-not-what-is-best-for-my-soul-nor-is/)

[Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/)

> [ \[I\]t is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one, to receive instruction for those in authority,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/i-t-is-contrary-to-the-economy-of-god-for-any-member-of-the-church-or/)

[Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/)

> [Terrorism grows when there are no other options, and when the center of the global economy is the god of money and not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/terrorism-grows-when-there-are-no-other-options-and-when-the-center/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [“The people we consider successful in our society are all people that seize every moment and make the best of each situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/the-people-we-consider-successful-in-our-society-are-all-people-that/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [I'm just lucky to have been in the right place at the right time. Another place, another time, I wouldn't have been as successful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-m-just-lucky-to-have-been-in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [Patriotism is the secret resource of a successful society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/patriotism-is-the-secret-resource-of-a-successful-society/)

[Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/)

> [Commerce is a core component of pretty much any successful society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-mckelvey/commerce-is-a-core-component-of-pretty-much-any-successful-society/)

[Miguel McKelvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-mckelvey/)

> [Whenever you see a man who is successful in society, try to discover what makes him pleasing, and if possible adopt his system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/whenever-you-see-a-man-who-is-successful-in-society-try-to-discover/)

[Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/)

> [A successful society is characterized by a rising living standard for its population, increasing investment in factories and basic infrastructure, and the generation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-trout/a-successful-society-is-characterized-by-a-rising-living-standard-for/)

[Robert Trout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-trout/)

> [“Slowly, God is opening my eyes to needs all around me. In Scripture, God revisits this issue of caring for the poor- an echo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-feinberg/slowly-god-is-opening-my-eyes-to-needs-all-around-me-in-scripture-god/)

[Margaret Feinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-feinberg/)

> [Though the world disregard the society of God's children now, yet there is a time coming in which they would be glad to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/though-the-world-disregard-the-society-of-god-s-children-now-yet/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [People make the rules of society, not God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-make-the-rules-of-society-not-god/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If there are people who feel that God wants them to change the structures of society, that is something between them and their God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/if-there-are-people-who-feel-that-god-wants-them-to-change-the/)

[Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/)

> [“One can have a society without God,” writes Régis Debray, “but there cannot be a society without religion.” He adds, “Those nations on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-benoist/one-can-have-a-society-without-god-writes-r-gis-debray-but-there/)

[Alain de Benoist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-benoist/)

## More by Michael Leunig

> [In my journey as a cartoonist, I seem to have accidentally stumbled into all sorts of traps, damnations and blacklists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/in-my-journey-as-a-cartoonist-i-seem-to-have-accidentally-stumbled/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [Have I got the right to experiment with my child's life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/have-i-got-the-right-to-experiment-with-my-child-s-life/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [There are only two feelings, Love and fear: There are only two languages, Love and fear: There are only two activities, Love and fear:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/there-are-only-two-feelings-love-and-fear-there-are-only-two/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [If European symbols and traditions have grown tired, perfunctory and oppressively banal in Australia, or been drained of spirit and meaning by the dreary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/if-european-symbols-and-traditions-have-grown-tired-perfunctory-and/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [Socialised humanity represses nature and degrades human nature; it takes life and waters it down - probably to control it - diluting existence with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/socialised-humanity-represses-nature-and-degrades-human-nature-it/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [I became a cartoonist because I'd sort of failed at everything else, really. I mean, it was by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-became-a-cartoonist-because-i-d-sort-of-failed-at-everything-else/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [I never really understood who the Magi were as a child. What is a Magi? Not a word I would use, but a magpie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-never-really-understood-who-the-magi-were-as-a-child-what-is-a-magi/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [God bless this tiny little boat, And me who travels in it. It stays afloat for years and years, And sinks within a minute.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/god-bless-this-tiny-little-boat-and-me-who-travels-in-it-it-stays/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [There can be many reasons to travel, but wandering into the world for no particular reason is a sublime madness, which in all its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/there-can-be-many-reasons-to-travel-but-wandering-into-the-world-for/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [I'm totally deaf in my right ear, yeah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-m-totally-deaf-in-my-right-ear-yeah/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [Emotional stability has not been America's gift to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/emotional-stability-has-not-been-america-s-gift-to-the-world/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [Life seems sadly mishandled by humans, as if it's all too much for them - they spend so much time and energy hurting each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/life-seems-sadly-mishandled-by-humans-as-if-it-s-all-too-much-for/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [If you know anything about ducks, you know a baby duck will imprint itself on you. It misses its mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/if-you-know-anything-about-ducks-you-know-a-baby-duck-will-imprint/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [I think melancholy is part of the natural condition, you know. Anyway, I think it's the artist's function to have their melancholy and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-think-melancholy-is-part-of-the-natural-condition-you-know-anyway-i/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [At last, after completing year 12, I failed the great final examination, repeated the following year and failed again even more dismally than before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/at-last-after-completing-year-12-i-failed-the-great-final-examination/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

[Explore all 175 Michael Leunig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

## More Angry quotes

> [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/)

[Kirsten Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gilchrist/)

> [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/)

[Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/)

> [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/)

[David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/)

> [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/)

[Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/)

> [When you're frustrated with people, when they've made you angry, it just may be because you haven't given them enough time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/when-you-re-frustrated-with-people-when-they-ve-made-you-angry-it/)

[Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/)

> [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/)

[Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/)

> [I'm an angry guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gandolfini/i-m-an-angry-guy/)

[James Gandolfini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gandolfini/)

> [Apparently, I'm the angriest man. I don't know. It's just an interpretation. If it was someone else, they might be called focused or competitive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/apparently-i-m-the-angriest-man-i-don-t-know-it-s-just-an/)

[Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/)

> [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/)

[Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/)

> [Of course I get angry, but I want to use my brain a little bit and not just smash things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/of-course-i-get-angry-but-i-want-to-use-my-brain-a-little-bit-and-not/)

[Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/)

> [“Rather than being incensed by the nature of the bruise, maybe we should be inspired by the possibilities in the bruise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/rather-than-being-incensed-by-the-nature-of-the-bruise-maybe-we/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

[Browse all 3,857 Angry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The 'economy' became a god such as never before, and a happy, successful society was one that could please this god - sometimes by sacrificing beautiful things - to keep the deity from getting angry and harming the people by withdrawing favours.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Leunig"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/the-economy-became-a-god-such-as-never-before-and-a-happy-successful/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Angry"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/the-economy-became-a-god-such-as-never-before-and-a-happy-successful/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/michael-leunig-2274_angry_the-economy-became-a-god-such-as-never-b_1315660.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/michael-leunig-2274_angry_the-economy-became-a-god-such-as-never-b_1315660.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/michael-leunig-2274_angry_the-economy-became-a-god-such-as-never-b_1315660.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The 'economy' became a god such as never before, and a happy, successful society was one that could please…” — Michael Leunig",
                "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": "Michael Leunig",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The 'economy' became a god such...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/the-economy-became-a-god-such-as-never-before-and-a-happy-successful/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/the-economy-became-a-god-such-as-never-before-and-a-happy-successful/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
