Business Quote by Richard Flanagan
“When forging money, I had always salved my conscience by concluding that I was merely extending the lie of commerce.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan, 2013
The narrator justifies his role in creating money by seeing it as merely extending the inevitable deception inherent in commerce.
In simple terms: Money is seen as a continuation of lying.
Key Takeaway
Question the ethics of participating in financial systems.
Themes
morality
economics
deception
justification
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- business ethics courses
- personal finance decisions
- political debate
- activism
Key Concepts
ethical relativism
capitalism
cognitive dissonance
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you view financial work as complicit in deception?
- What alternatives exist to mitigate this?
A Different Perspective
Self‑deception may mask true moral impact.
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