Big houses Quote by Robert J. Shiller
“What would be better, that people build big houses thinking that they'll make capital gains or that they send their children to medical school and they do research on curing diseases? When you put it that way, it seems obvious. There has developed a sense of personal worth that's tied to one's house.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Economic Outlook, 2015
Investing in human capital, like education, yields greater societal benefit than speculative real‑estate gains.
In simple terms: Education beats property speculation.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize education over property speculation.
Themes
education
wealth
health
ethics
Mood
thoughtful
concerned
Type
analytical
motivational
When to use this quote
- family budgeting
- career counseling
- public policy
- philanthropy
Key Concepts
Human capital
social return on investment
Questions to Reflect On
- What incentives could shift focus to education?
- How do we balance housing needs with research funding?
A Different Perspective
Real‑estate markets can still provide essential stability.
![“...[M]an and generally any rational being exists as an end in himself, not merely as a means to be arbitrarily used by this or that will, but in all his actions, whether they concern himself or other rational beings, must always be regarded at the same time as an end... [R]ational beings... are…” quote by Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5ff/immanuel-kant-532_freedom_m-an-and-generally-any-rational-being-ex_892667.jpg)
![“It [bourgeoisie] has resolved personal worth into exchange value, and in place of the numberless indefeasible chartered freedoms, has set up that single, unconscionable freedom – Free Trade.” quote by Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4c0/karl-marx-399_bourgeoisie_it-bourgeoisie-has-resolved-personal-wor_617408.jpg)
