Double meaning Quote by René Guénon
““The quantitative degeneration of all things is closely linked to that of money, as is shown by the fact that nowadays the ‘worth’ of an object is ordinarily ‘estimated’ only in terms of its price, considered simply as a ‘figure’, a ‘sum’, or a numerical quantity of money; in fact, with most of our contemporaries, every judgment brought to bear on an object is nearly always based exclusively on what it costs. The word ‘estimate’ has been emphasized because it has in itself a double meaning, qualitative and quantitative; today the first meaning has been lost to sight, or what amounts to the same thing, means have been found to equate it to the second, and thus it comes about that not only is the ‘worth’ of an object ‘estimated’ according to its price, but the ‘worth’ of a man is ‘estimated’ according to his wealth.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Crisis of the Modern World, René Guénon, 1930
Society reduces everything to monetary value, ignoring qualitative worth.
In simple terms: We judge things only by price.
Key Takeaway
Remember non‑monetary value.
Themes
materialism
valuation
philosophy
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- shopping decisions
- budgeting
- career evaluation
- art appreciation
Key Concepts
quantitative vs qualitative
human dignity
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of life do you value beyond money?
- How can you honor qualitative worth?
A Different Perspective
Not all worth can be measured; some aspects are intangible.
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