--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Though many intellectuals, following in…" description: "\"“Though many intellectuals, following in the footsteps of Saints Augustine and Jerome, hold business people in contempt for their selfishness and greed..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/steven-pinker-526_business_though-many-intellectuals-following-in-t_437997.jpg" --- # Though many intellectuals, following in the footsteps of… ![“Though many intellectuals, following in the footsteps of Saints Augustine and Jerome, hold business people in contempt for their selfishness and greed, in fact a free market puts a premium on empathy.” quote by Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/steven-pinker-526_business_though-many-intellectuals-following-in-t_437997.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/steven-pinker-526_business_though-many-intellectuals-following-in-t_437997.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/steven-pinker-526_business_though-many-intellectuals-following-in-t_437997.jpg) > ““Though many intellectuals, following in the footsteps of Saints Augustine and Jerome, hold business people in contempt for their selfishness and greed, in fact a free market puts a premium on empathy.”” [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A free market rewards empathy despite stereotypes of greed, showing that economic systems can align self-interest with caring behavior. **In simple terms:** Markets can encourage caring behavior. Key Takeaway Recognize empathy in business contexts. Themes economics ethics empathy stereotypes Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - business negotiations - policy design - corporate social responsibility Key Concepts free market theory human behavior social perception Questions to Reflect On - How can markets be structured to enhance empathy? - What are the risks of overestimating market altruism? A Different Perspective Empathy may be limited by structural inequalities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-people/) [Contempt Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contempt-selfishness-3847517/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Free market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-market/) [Greed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greed/) [Intellectuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectuals/) [Intellectuals Following](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectuals-following-3847516/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [Selfishness and greed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness-and-greed/) [Selfishness Greed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness-greed-1303080/) ## Related quotes > [“You are a monster of selfishness and greed, bearing no loyalty to anyone but yourself, and you prance across the stage and preen as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-messina/you-are-a-monster-of-selfishness-and-greed-bearing-no-loyalty-to/) [Lynn Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-messina/) > [The secret of success is to realize that the crisis on our planet is much larger than just deciding what to do with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-secret-of-success-is-to-realize-that-the-crisis-on-our-planet-is/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“Throughout the 1980's, we did hear too much about individual gain and the ethos of selfishness and greed. 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