Country Quote by Michel de Montaigne
“An honest man is not accountable for the vice and folly of his trade, and therefore ought not to refuse the exercise of it. It is the custom of his country, and there is profit in it. We must live by the world, and such as we find it, so make use of it.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Essays by Michel de Montaigne, 1580
A person should accept the customs and profits of their trade, even if morally questionable, and use the world as it is.
In simple terms: Accept reality and use it for profit.
Key Takeaway
Adapt to circumstances.
Themes
pragmatism
ethics
trade
society
Mood
cautious
reflective
Type
philosophical
advice
When to use this quote
- business decisions
- political negotiation
- personal finance
Key Concepts
utilitarianism
moral relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- Is profit worth compromising integrity?
- How to balance practicality with morality?
A Different Perspective
May ignore long term consequences of unethical practices.
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
