Ability Quote by Robertson Davies
“Comparatively few people know what a million dollars actually is. To the majority it is a gaseous concept, swelling or decreasing as the occasion suggests. In the minds of politicians, perhaps more than anywhere, the notion of a million dollars has this accordion-like ability to expand or contract; if they are disposing of it, the million is a pleasing sum, reflecting warmly upon themselves; if somebody else wants it, it becomes a figure of inordinate size, not to be compassed by the rational mind.”
About This Quote
People often treat large sums of money as abstract, changing in perception depending on who discusses it and why.
In simple terms: Money's value feels fluid and subjective.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how context shapes financial perception.
Themes
wealth
perception
politics
psychology
Mood
reflective
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- budget planning
- policy debates
- personal finance
- media analysis
Key Concepts
subjectivity
inflation of value
political rhetoric
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your own perception of money change with context?
- Do you see similar flexibility in other abstract concepts?
A Different Perspective
The quote may overgeneralize politicians' motives without evidence.
![“The editor, Stephen Segal, actually called me with the idea of creating an accordion book [ "The Thorn & The Blossom"], and asked if I could write a story for it. I was so intrigued! I immediately knew that it had to be a love story told from the points of view of the two main characters. Right…” quote by Theodora Goss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a5d/theodora-goss-10051_accordions_the-editor-stephen-segal-actually-called_440631.jpg)
