Norman Mailer on Productivity Judgement
on Friday, January 16, 2015Norman Mailer Money Quotation saying judgement of productivity ought to be applied to rich as well as poor. Norman Mailer said:
“To blame the poor for subsisting on welfare has no justice unless we are also willing to judge every rich member of society by how productive he or she is” — Norman Mailer
Norman Mailer seems to be criticizing a double standard in how society views those in poverty versus the wealthy. Specifically, he argues it is unjust to fault the poor for relying on welfare programs unless the rich are also judged based on their own productivity and contributions.
By suggesting the rich should be assessed by “how productive he or she is”, Mailer implies they are not always entitled to their wealth and should also be evaluated based on merit.
Overall, the quote indicates Mailer believes there should be equal scrutiny and expectations placed on both the poor receiving aid and the rich accumulating assets – neither group should be immune from judgment regarding how they sustain their standard of living.
Birthday: January 31, 1923 – Death: November 10, 2007