--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For we each of us deserve everything…" description: "\"For we each of us deserve everything, every luxury that was ever piled in the tombs of the dead kings, and we each of us deserve nothing, not a mouthfu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/ursula-k-le-guin-138_able_for-we-each-of-us-deserve-everything-eve_1274399.jpg" --- # For we each of us deserve everything, every luxury that… ![“For we each of us deserve everything, every luxury that was ever piled in the tombs of the dead kings, and we each of us deserve nothing, not a mouthful of bread in hunger. Have we not eaten while another starved? Will you punish us for that? Will you reward us for the virtue of starving while…” quote by Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/ursula-k-le-guin-138_able_for-we-each-of-us-deserve-everything-eve_1274399.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/ursula-k-le-guin-138_able_for-we-each-of-us-deserve-everything-eve_1274399.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/ursula-k-le-guin-138_able_for-we-each-of-us-deserve-everything-eve_1274399.jpg) > “For we each of us deserve everything, every luxury that was ever piled in the tombs of the dead kings, and we each of us deserve nothing, not a mouthful of bread in hunger. Have we not eaten while another starved? Will you punish us for that? Will you reward us for the virtue of starving while others ate? No man earns punishment, no man earns reward. Free your mind of the idea of deserving, the idea of earning, and you will begin to be able to think.” [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deserving and earning are false constructs; freeing the mind from them opens true thought. **In simple terms:** Deserve and earn are myths. Key Takeaway Release the notion of entitlement. Themes equality justice philosophy Mood contemplative serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - economic policy - charitable work - personal values Key Concepts morality social equity Questions to Reflect On - What does merit mean to you? - How can societies balance fairness and incentive? A Different Perspective Some argue meritocracy motivates effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bread/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment/) [Reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reward/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [I'm terrified of getting what I'm not deserving of, feeling that I've got something for nothing... at the expense of brilliant starving writers all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-mcdonell/i-m-terrified-of-getting-what-i-m-not-deserving-of-feeling-that-i-ve/) [Nick McDonell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-mcdonell/) > [“She told Everra that he had given her and Sallo the soul's hunger for books and thoughts, and must not deprive them now that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/she-told-everra-that-he-had-given-her-and-sallo-the-soul-s-hunger-for/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“You are free. Your mind belongs to you. Your thoughts are yours. Honor the sacred territory of your freedom and individuality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/you-are-free-your-mind-belongs-to-you-your-thoughts-are-yours-honor/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Will you ever use common sense, I hear it comes pretty cheap. And if I speak more clearly, if I make more sense. Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tegan-quin/will-you-ever-use-common-sense-i-hear-it-comes-pretty-cheap-and-if-i/) [Tegan Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tegan-quin/) > [“Don’t apologize. My ma used to say that crying is good for you. 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A cage is only a cage as long as you believe it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poppet/free-your-mind-jowendrhan-a-cage-is-only-a-cage-as-long-as-you/) Poppet > [Free your mind from comparing yourself to anyone! You are a priceless original that brings something to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/free-your-mind-from-comparing-yourself-to-anyone-you-are-a-priceless/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Free your mind and your ass will follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/free-your-mind-and-your-ass-will-follow/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [“I don't like when people say 'I can't believe I wasted the whole day reading.' Diving into another world to free your mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-stocking/i-don-t-like-when-people-say-i-can-t-believe-i-wasted-the-whole-day/) [Chris Stocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-stocking/) > [Always expand. Never be the same. Free your mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-expand-never-be-the-same-free-your-mind/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“move. For one thing, you’re going to start paying more attention. Yes, perhaps you’ll sometimes have a crazed, wild-eyed look, but that’s a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/move-for-one-thing-you-re-going-to-start-paying-more-attention-yes/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Find your way, free your mind , trace the sky, this is your chance at a new beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/find-your-way-free-your-mind-trace-the-sky-this-is-your-chance-at-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Elvis Presley's music said, 'Free your body.' The Beatles said, 'Free your mind.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/elvis-presley-s-music-said-free-your-body-the-beatles-said-free-your/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) ## More by Ursula K. Le Guin > [“...I wore his blood for clothing, on my legs and thighs and hands: a dry, stiff, brown garment with no warmth in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-wore-his-blood-for-clothing-on-my-legs-and-thighs-and-hands-a-dry/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Translation is entirely mysterious. Increasingly I have felt that the art of writing is itself translating, or more like translating than it is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/translation-is-entirely-mysterious-increasingly-i-have-felt-that-the/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Aeneas' mother is a star?" "No; a goddess." 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Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Between thought and spoken word is a gap where intention can enter, the symbol be twisted aside, and the lie come to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/between-thought-and-spoken-word-is-a-gap-where-intention-can-enter/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [I have no control over my writing. I have lots of good intentions, but no control. There's a story that wants to be told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-have-no-control-over-my-writing-i-have-lots-of-good-intentions-but/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“I did a lot today. That is, I did something. The only thing I have ever done. I pressed a button. It took the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-did-a-lot-today-that-is-i-did-something-the-only-thing-i-have-ever/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [To me the female principle is, or at least historically has been, basically anarchic. It values order without constraint, rule by custom not by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/to-me-the-female-principle-is-or-at-least-historically-has-been/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Hector had no virtue?” “Of course he did. He won all his battles, till the last one.” “We all do,” Aeneas remarked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/hector-had-no-virtue-of-course-he-did-he-won-all-his-battles-till-the/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“I was willing to believe him that most modern writing was trash, on the evidence that so much old writing was trash; but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-was-willing-to-believe-him-that-most-modern-writing-was-trash-on/) [Ursula K. 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Le Guin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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