Consciousness Quote by Naomi Mitchison
“Good will, that curious product of consciousness, of leisure and energy to spare and share. That thing we put out against the forces of interest. That extra thing. Religions and nations and political parties have taken it and used it as coinage, have said you must only give it in exchange for value.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Nature of Goodwill”, 1937
Goodwill is a surplus of conscious generosity, often co-opted as a transactional token.
In simple terms: Goodwill is extra kindness given freely.
Key Takeaway
Guard goodwill from being reduced to a commodity.
Themes
goodwill
generosity
consciousness
politics
economics
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
social
When to use this quote
- charitable work
- political activism
- community building
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
moral economy
social capital
ethical exchange
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you felt goodwill was exploited?
- How can you keep goodwill authentic?
A Different Perspective
Goodwill can be manipulated for power.
![“It [will-making] is the latest opportunity we have of exercising the natural perversity of the disposition ... This last act of our lives seldom belies the former tenor of them for stupidity, caprice, and unmeaning spite. All that we seem to think of is to manage matters so (in settling accounts…” quote by William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b18/william-hazlitt-326_accounts_it-will-making-is-the-latest-opportunity_2725505.jpg)
