John Steinbeck: Bank Monster
on Saturday, May 13, 2023Meaning of John Steinbeck Money Quote: saying a bank is controlled by forces other than the men that created it, they can’t control it. John Steinbeck said:
“The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It’s the monster. Men made it, but they can’t control it” — John Steinbeck
Share the John Steinbeck Money quote image above on your site:
Short Link to this Quote:
In this quote, John Steinbeck is characterizing how financial institutions like banks can take on a life of their own beyond human control. When he refers to “the bank” as “the monster”, Steinbeck suggests it has become a formidable force that dominates over people.
He notes that while banks were created by “men”, they have grown so large and powerful that they can no longer be fully “controlled” even by their creators.
The quote conveys Steinbeck’s view that once established, organizations in the economic sphere like banks accumulate their own momentum and interests that may supersede human oversight or direction.
Overall, Steinbeck appears to be criticizing how banks have amassed outsized influence that exceeds what was intended by their original architects according to this interpretation.
Birthday: February 27, 1902 – Death: December 20, 1968