Ralph Waldo Emerson: Wealth of Mind
on Saturday, October 28, 2017Ralph Waldo Emerson Money Quote saying we create wealth by thought and effort applied to nature to inspire us and answer our needs. Ralph Waldo Emerson said:
“Wealth has its source in applications of the mind to nature, from the rudest strokes of spade and axe, up to the last secrets of art” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Share the Ralph Waldo Emerson Money quote image above on your site:
Short Link to this Quote:
In this quote, Ralph Waldo Emerson seems to be characterizing wealth as originating from human intellect and industry applied productively in the natural world. By stating that wealth has its source in “applications of the mind to nature, from the rudest strokes of spade and axe, up to the last secrets of art”, Emerson appears to be arguing that riches stem from people using their mental faculties, problem-solving skills and innovative ideas to alter, improve and derive value from the environment in various ways.
The quote conveys Emerson’s view that both basic physical labor in nature as well as the most advanced technical accomplishments generate prosperity when they emanate from and build upon the human mind’s engagement with the material world. Overall, Emerson portrays wealth as arising from the interplay between human ingenuity, work and the natural environment it shapes for benefit.