--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Middle-class prosperity is lapidary; the…" description: "\"“Middle-class prosperity is lapidary; the flow of cash rounds and smooths a person like water does riverbed stones.”\" — Neal Stephenson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/neal-stephenson-362_cash_middle-class-prosperity-is-lapidary-the_752662.png" --- # Middle-class prosperity is lapidary; the flow of cash… ![“Middle-class prosperity is lapidary; the flow of cash rounds and smooths a person like water does riverbed stones.” quote by Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/neal-stephenson-362_cash_middle-class-prosperity-is-lapidary-the_752662.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/neal-stephenson-362_cash_middle-class-prosperity-is-lapidary-the_752662.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/neal-stephenson-362_cash_middle-class-prosperity-is-lapidary-the_752662.png) > ““Middle-class prosperity is lapidary; the flow of cash rounds and smooths a person like water does riverbed stones.”” [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wealth smooths life like water erodes stone, shaping character through financial flow. **In simple terms:** Money can change you like water shapes rocks. Key Takeaway Use wealth wisely to shape positive character. Themes economics personal growth philosophy Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical financial When to use this quote - investment decisions - career planning - budgeting - philanthropy Key Concepts wealth impact character formation Questions to Reflect On - How does money affect your decisions? - Can wealth be a tool for personal development? A Different Perspective Financial pressure can distort values if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flow/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Observational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observational/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Rounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rounds/) [Suburbia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suburbia/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [There is no path to middle-class prosperity without tearing down barriers to American exports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-daley/there-is-no-path-to-middle-class-prosperity-without-tearing-down/) [William M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-m-daley/) > [“There is good reason for pervasive middle-class angst. Financial insecurity has been written into the DNA of the New Economy. Not only has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedrick-smith/there-is-good-reason-for-pervasive-middle-class-angst-financial/) [Hedrick Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedrick-smith/) > [You know, without China there is no Wal-Mart and without Wal-Mart there is no middle class and lower class prosperity in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/you-know-without-china-there-is-no-wal-mart-and-without-wal-mart/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [For most of the 20th century, we didn't just enjoy economic success in Michigan, we defined it. 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It's observational as far as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sikoryak/i-m-such-a-product-of-my-media-diet-it-s-interesting-that-you-say/) [Robert Sikoryak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sikoryak/) > [“Shall we see the world as we sit, look around relax, look, look, look, disengage our intellects, perceive nature our common sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-askew/shall-we-see-the-world-as-we-sit-look-around-relax-look-look-look/) R.J.Askew > [“Beauty shoudn't suffer but should be embraced.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-taviri/beauty-shoudn-t-suffer-but-should-be-embraced/) [Jackson Taviri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-taviri/) ## More by Neal Stephenson > [“I study dead languages for a living,” I said. “That’s why you hired me. Why should I be up to speed on your line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-study-dead-languages-for-a-living-i-said-that-s-why-you-hired-me/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Other people - store clerks, burger flippers, software engineers, the whole vocabulary of meaningless jobs that make up Life in America - other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/other-people-store-clerks-burger-flippers-software-engineers-the/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“It is what you don’t expect,” he’d said, “that most needs looking for.” “Do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-he-d-said-that-most-needs-looking-for-do/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“...the insects here see you as a big slab of animated but not very well defended food. The ability to move, far from being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-insects-here-see-you-as-a-big-slab-of-animated-but-not-very-well/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“There was no way that these guys were going to let a bleeding, barefoot woman simply wander off alone into the streets. Two of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/there-was-no-way-that-these-guys-were-going-to-let-a-bleeding/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Space and Time! Two minor omissions that no one is likely to notice," grumbled Newton.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/space-and-time-two-minor-omissions-that-no-one-is-likely-to-notice/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/see-the-world-is-full-of-things-more-powerful-than-us-but-if-you-know/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Hey,” Shaftoe says, “if we surrender to you, you’ll kill us. Right?” “Yes.” “If you guys surrender to us, we won’t kill you. Promise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/hey-shaftoe-says-if-we-surrender-to-you-you-ll-kill-us-right-yes-if/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“My men think you are dead now, and won’t waste balls on you,” Jack said. “In fact I have let you live, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/my-men-think-you-are-dead-now-and-won-t-waste-balls-on-you-jack-said/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“You’ve probably heard the expression that the Industry feeds off of biomass, like a whale straining krill from the ocean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/you-ve-probably-heard-the-expression-that-the-industry-feeds-off-of/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-deliverator-belongs-to-an-elite-order-a-hallowed-subcategory-he-s/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Interesting things happen along borders - transitions - not in the middle where everything is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/interesting-things-happen-along-borders-transitions-not-in-the-middle/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“and people could only make sense of complicated matters through stories. Likewise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/and-people-could-only-make-sense-of-complicated-matters-through/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Van Eck phreaking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/van-eck-phreaking/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/when-the-deliverator-puts-the-hammer-down-shit-happens/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) [Explore all 633 Neal Stephenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## More Cash quotes > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/) [Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/) > [Nothing knits man to man like the frequent passage from hand to hand of cash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-sickert/nothing-knits-man-to-man-like-the-frequent-passage-from-hand-to-hand/) [Walter Sickert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-sickert/) > [“It’s me,” he says softly. “Stop listening to everything else. Remember the way you feel when I’m kissing you and touching you. Don’t think with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-leighton/it-s-me-he-says-softly-stop-listening-to-everything-else-remember-the/) [M. Leighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-leighton/) > [After I graduated, I carried on with my academic work, via grants but I often had a market stall on Camden Market selling hand-painted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettany-hughes/after-i-graduated-i-carried-on-with-my-academic-work-via-grants-but-i/) [Bettany Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettany-hughes/) > [You might be a redneck if you have a picture of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, or Elvis over your fireplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-you-have-a-picture-of-johnny-cash-willie/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [American forces in Iraq found $650 million in American cash sealed in a hidden cottage. See, this is why President Bush wants to invade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/american-forces-in-iraq-found-650-million-in-american-cash-sealed-in/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I feel a lot better when I've got a bit of cash on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-doherty/i-feel-a-lot-better-when-i-ve-got-a-bit-of-cash-on-me/) [Pete Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-doherty/) > [If our financial industry regarded security the way the health-care sector does, I would stuff my cash in a mattress under my bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi-rubin/if-our-financial-industry-regarded-security-the-way-the-health-care/) [Avi Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi-rubin/) > [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? 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