Applause Quote by Thomas Carlyle
“Laissez-faire, Supply-and-demand, - one begins to be weary of all that. Leave all to egoism, to ravenous greed of money, of pleasure, of applause: it is the Gospel of Despair!.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Sart History of Friedrich II of Prussia, Thomas Carlyle, 1858
Excessive egoism and greed lead to despair; abandoning moral restraint results in a nihilistic worldview.
In simple terms: Greed leads to despair.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate humility and ethical restraint.
Themes
greed
egoism
despair
nihilism
morality
Mood
cautionary
philosophical
critical
Type
essay
social commentary
moral warning
When to use this quote
- business leadership
- political policy
- personal finance
- community building
- environmental stewardship
Key Concepts
capitalism critique
ethical philosophy
social decay
Questions to Reflect On
- How does egoism affect society?
- Can greed be redirected positively?
A Different Perspective
May ignore positive aspects of self‑interest.
![“All the shows we did pre-airdate, and I'd come out - "Rob Lowe!" - and it was [Offers bored applause.] After the show aired? I came out - "Rob Lowe!" - and the place was, like, bedlam. And then the next week, they wouldn't let anyone under the age of 20 into the audience. And I'm going, "So that's…” quote by Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/66b/rob-lowe-855_age_all-the-shows-we-did-pre-airdate-and-i-d_31307.jpg)
