Conquistador Quote by Yuval Noah Harari
““When the natives questioned Cortés as to why the Spaniards had such a passion for gold, the conquistador answered, ‘Because I and my companions suffer from a disease of the heart which can be cured only with gold.””
About This Quote
Source Talk: History of Gold and Conquest, 2020
The conquistador claims a greed for gold is a disease of the heart, suggesting material desire is a pathological condition.
In simple terms: Gold lust is likened to a heart disease.
Key Takeaway
Question the moral of material greed.
Themes
history
economics
psychology
colonialism
greed
Mood
analytical
critical
historical
Type
philosophical
economic
When to use this quote
- colonial expansion
- resource extraction
- ethical debates
- personal finance
- cultural critique
Key Concepts
disease metaphor
human desire
colonial exploitation
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives societies to value wealth so highly?
- Can greed be cured?
A Different Perspective
It simplifies complex motivations to a single metaphor.
