Accounting Quote by Simone Weil

“Bourgeois society is infected by monomania: the monomania of accounting. For it, the only thing that has value is what can be counted in francs and centimes. It never hesitates to sacrifice human life to figures which look well on paper, such as national budgets or industrial balance sheets.” quote by Simone Weil — Download Open image

“Bourgeois society is infected by monomania: the monomania of accounting. For it, the only thing that has value is what can be counted in francs and centimes. It never hesitates to sacrifice human life to figures which look well on paper, such as national budgets or industrial balance sheets.”

Simone Weil

About This Quote

Source Essay: The Need for Roots, Simone Weil, 1949

Bourgeois society values only what can be quantified, sacrificing human life for financial figures and bureaucratic efficiency.

In simple terms: Money counts over humanity.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the limits of purely monetary value.

Themes

economics ethics society

Mood

reflective critical

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

policy making
corporate governance
social activism

Key Concepts

monetary reductionism human cost

Questions to Reflect On

How can we balance numbers with human dignity?
What alternatives to monetary metrics exist?

A Different Perspective

Purely numeric focus ignores moral consequences.

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Accounting Accounting Thing Balance Balance sheets Bourgeois Bourgeois Society Budgets Figures Human life Humans Looks Monomania Monomania Accounting Monomania Monomania Paper Sacrifice Sheets Values Wells

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