--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The real danger from advertising is that…" description: "\"The real danger from advertising is that it helps to shatter and ultimately destroy our most precious non-material possessions: the confidence in the e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/paul-sweezy-70531_advertising_the-real-danger-from-advertising-is-that_2894526.jpg" --- # The real danger from advertising is that it helps to… ![“The real danger from advertising is that it helps to shatter and ultimately destroy our most precious non-material possessions: the confidence in the existence of meaningful purposes of human activity and respect for the integrity of man.” quote by Paul Sweezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/paul-sweezy-70531_advertising_the-real-danger-from-advertising-is-that_2894526.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/paul-sweezy-70531_advertising_the-real-danger-from-advertising-is-that_2894526.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/paul-sweezy-70531_advertising_the-real-danger-from-advertising-is-that_2894526.jpg) > “The real danger from advertising is that it helps to shatter and ultimately destroy our most precious non-material possessions: the confidence in the existence of meaningful purposes of human activity and respect for the integrity of man.” Paul Sweezy ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advertising erodes confidence in meaningful purpose and respect for human integrity, turning people toward materialism. **In simple terms:** Advertising undermines purpose. Key Takeaway Guard against materialistic influence. Themes consumerism identity integrity Mood critical thought‑provoking Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - marketing - personal values - societal trends Key Concepts critical theory media studies Questions to Reflect On - How does advertising shape your values? - What purpose do you pursue beyond material goods? A Different Perspective May overlook benefits of information. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Material possessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material-possessions/) [Meaningful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Possession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possession/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [Advertising and the free society are closely connected. Advertising helps to make a free society remain so by increasing competition, and by helping to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-treasure/advertising-and-the-free-society-are-closely-connected-advertising/) John Treasure > [“felt the depth of my deception. What had happened to my self-respect? My integrity?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-chamberlain/felt-the-depth-of-my-deception-what-had-happened-to-my-self-respect/) [Diane Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-chamberlain/) > [The fact that my parents were both educated and held certain values very dearly, like honesty, self-respect and integrity, meant that I could steer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neena-gupta/the-fact-that-my-parents-were-both-educated-and-held-certain-values/) [Neena Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neena-gupta/) > [Neither the military might nor the economic and technological development makes a nation great. It is made great by it's citizens with Self Respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pandurang-shastri-athavale/neither-the-military-might-nor-the-economic-and-technological/) [Pandurang Shastri Athavale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pandurang-shastri-athavale/) > [I want to be remembered as somebody that tried to respect her integrity as an artist and as a person. And I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-want-to-be-remembered-as-somebody-that-tried-to-respect-her/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [Your peers will respect you for your integrity and character, not your possessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-robinson/your-peers-will-respect-you-for-your-integrity-and-character-not-your/) [David Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-robinson/) > [Openness, respect, integrity - these are principles that need to underpin pretty much every other decision that you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/openness-respect-integrity-these-are-principles-that-need-to-underpin/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [The time will come when the Negro in the South will be accorded all the political rights which his ability, character, and material possessions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/the-time-will-come-when-the-negro-in-the-south-will-be-accorded-all/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [Material possessions, in themselves, are good. We would not survive for long without money, clothing and shelter. We must eat in order to stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/material-possessions-in-themselves-are-good-we-would-not-survive-for/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [When a little pleasure has flashed for a moment against the dark, I have made that jewel mine. I have hundreds of them ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrtle-reed/when-a-little-pleasure-has-flashed-for-a-moment-against-the-dark-i/) [Myrtle Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrtle-reed/) > [“If he so much as mentioned the absence of any trunks or material possessions that constituted things she could attend to, by God, she'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christi-caldwell/if-he-so-much-as-mentioned-the-absence-of-any-trunks-or-material/) [Christi Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christi-caldwell/) > [“Is it not rather ugly, one may ask? One collects material possessions not only for security, comfort or vanity, but for beauty as well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/is-it-not-rather-ugly-one-may-ask-one-collects-material-possessions/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The gospel assures you that your value is not dependent on your looks or material possessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-l-jack/the-gospel-assures-you-that-your-value-is-not-dependent-on-your-looks/) [Elaine L. Jack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-l-jack/) > [In sports teams, apart from talk of sporting prowess and the imparting of inspirational thought, an extraordinary amount of time is spent discussing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harsha-bhogle/in-sports-teams-apart-from-talk-of-sporting-prowess-and-the-imparting/) [Harsha Bhogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harsha-bhogle/) > [“If you aren't happy for what you already have then what makes you think you will be happy with more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddy-malhotra/if-you-aren-t-happy-for-what-you-already-have-then-what-makes-you/) [Maddy Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddy-malhotra/) ## More by Paul Sweezy > [Mao is the only real Marxist at the leadership level in the post-Marx period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sweezy/mao-is-the-only-real-marxist-at-the-leadership-level-in-the-post-marx/) Paul Sweezy > [Marx, if he had come back alive would have said Mao's his boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sweezy/marx-if-he-had-come-back-alive-would-have-said-mao-s-his-boy/) Paul Sweezy > [ \[Lenin\] might have become a Maoist in the sense of attacking the party and bombarding the party headquarters out of necessity to change the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sweezy/lenin-might-have-become-a-maoist-in-the-sense-of-attacking-the-party/) Paul Sweezy Explore all 4 Paul Sweezy quotes ## More Advertising quotes > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest-it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gossage/advertising-justifies-its-existence-when-used-in-the-public-interest/) [Howard Gossage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gossage/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [We have the capital, the resources, and the technology that we need to build a mobile advertising platform across the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/we-have-the-capital-the-resources-and-the-technology-that-we-need-to/) [Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/) > [“Never run advertising until the major publicity possibilities have been exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/never-run-advertising-until-the-major-publicity-possibilities-have/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I happened to be spotted by a modeling agent who offered me a part-time job at 16. Everything happened very quickly after that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-happened-to-be-spotted-by-a-modeling-agent-who-offered-me-a-part/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [They say that Madison Avenue will only pay high dollars in advertising if they get the 18-35 age range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gless/they-say-that-madison-avenue-will-only-pay-high-dollars-in/) [Sharon Gless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gless/) > [“There's not a branch of publishing or broadcasting that doesn't depend in some way on advertising. It'd be like an aquarium without water. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-s-not-a-branch-of-publishing-or-broadcasting-that-doesn-t/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I've driven people mad on films that I've made - I want more takes; I want to try new lines. Then I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/i-ve-driven-people-mad-on-films-that-i-ve-made-i-want-more-takes-i/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [This hype word bothers me though It always sounds like an accusation, what does it mean, advertising, column inches in the press? Bands themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-johnson/this-hype-word-bothers-me-though-it-always-sounds-like-an-accusation/) [Holly Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-johnson/) > [I'm supposed to be taking time off. But I'm still writing and I have this Gap advert lined up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stone/i-m-supposed-to-be-taking-time-off-but-i-m-still-writing-and-i-have/) [Joss Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stone/) > [Any seeming deception in a statement is costly, not only in the expense of the advertising but in the detrimental effect produced upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/any-seeming-deception-in-a-statement-is-costly-not-only-in-the/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) [Browse all 1,942 Advertising quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The real danger from advertising is that it helps to shatter and ultimately destroy our most precious non-material possessions: the confidence in the existence of meaningful purposes of human activity and respect for the integrity of man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Sweezy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sweezy/the-real-danger-from-advertising-is-that-it-helps-to-shatter-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advertising" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sweezy/the-real-danger-from-advertising-is-that-it-helps-to-shatter-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/paul-sweezy-70531_advertising_the-real-danger-from-advertising-is-that_2894526.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/paul-sweezy-70531_advertising_the-real-danger-from-advertising-is-that_2894526.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/paul-sweezy-70531_advertising_the-real-danger-from-advertising-is-that_2894526.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The real danger from advertising is that it helps to shatter and ultimately destroy our most precious…” — Paul Sweezy", "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": "Paul Sweezy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sweezy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The real danger from advertising is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sweezy/the-real-danger-from-advertising-is-that-it-helps-to-shatter-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sweezy/the-real-danger-from-advertising-is-that-it-helps-to-shatter-and/#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 } } ] } ```