Oliver Wendell Holmes: Principles
on Thursday, March 12, 2020Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Money Quote saying that even as careless as some are of their money, most are not as careful of their principles. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. said:
“A man is usually more careful of his money than of his principles” — Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
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In this quote, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr seems to be commenting on how people tend to be more diligent about financial matters than ethical ones. By stating that a man is “usually more careful of his money than of his principles”, Holmes implies that people generally give greater attention to protecting their wealth than upholding their morals or values.
The quote conveys Holmes’ perspective that money management receives more focus than consistently living according to one’s principles. Overall, he appears to be arguing that people tend to be more scrupulous about monetary issues than applying their professed ideals and virtues with the same level of discipline, perhaps due to money’s more tangible impacts compared to the less immediately observable effects of compromised principles.
Birthday March 8, 1841 Died March 6, 1935