George Orwell: Productive Profit

Meaning of George Orwell Money Quote: saying Practically, nobody cares if a profession is useful, only that it is profitable to a business or individual. George Orwell said:



 

“In practice nobody cares if work is useful or useless, productive or parasitic; the sole thing demanded is that it shall be profitable” — George Orwell

In this quote, George Orwell is criticizing how usefulness or social benefit are often not the primary considerations in determining what types of work are valued or encouraged economically.

When Orwell states that “in practice nobody cares if work is useful or useless, productive or parasitic”, he means that what really matters most is whether the work can turn a profit, not whether it creates meaningful value or positively contributes to society and productivity.

His view suggests that profitability alone, above other factors, tends to dictate what labor is deemed acceptable or worthwhile in practice.

The quote conveys Orwell’s perspective that economic systems function in a way that prioritizes financial returns over other outcomes, to the point where profit has become the sole metric of what qualifies as justifiable work.

Birthday: June 25, 1903 – Death: January 25, 1950

George Orwell: Sell Souls Public

Meaning of George Orwell Money Quote: saying People tend to sell their souls publicly, but try to repurchase them secretly. George Orwell said:

 

 

“We sell our souls in public and buy them back in private” — George Orwell

The quote is a commentary on the tensions between our public and private selves, the cost of success, and the importance of authenticity, including the following important points.

1. The public and private selves: The quote suggests that we present a certain image of ourselves to the public, which may not be entirely authentic. In private, we may be more true to ourselves and our values. This idea highlights the tension between our public and private selves, and the idea that we may be living a kind of double life.
2. The cost of success: The phrase “sell our souls” implies that we may be sacrificing something important in order to achieve success. This could be our integrity, our values, or our sense of self. The phrase “buy them back” suggests that we may be trying to regain what we have lost, but it may not be possible to do so.
3. The commodification of the self: The quote suggests that we may be treating our own selves as commodities, something that can be bought and sold. This idea is particularly relevant in today’s society, where social media and other forms of self-expression can make it feel like we are constantly performing for an audience.
4. The importance of authenticity: The quote highlights the importance of authenticity and being true to oneself. It suggests that we should be careful about the sacrifices we make in order to achieve success, and that we should prioritize our own values and integrity over external validation.

Birthday: June 25, 1903 – Death: January 25, 1950

George Orwell: Money Virtue Test

Meaning of George Orwell Money Quote: saying amount of income as a test of virtue means begging is not respectable. George Orwell said:

 

 

“Money has become the grand test of virtue. By this test beggars fail, and for this they are despised. If one could earn even ten pounds a week at begging, it would become a respectable profession immediately” — George Orwell

Orwell is criticizing the idea that wealth or income is used as the primary measure of a person’s worth or virtue in society. He argues that by this standard, beggars are seen as lacking virtue since they do not earn a wage. Orwell suggests that if begging could earn someone a decent salary, it would suddenly be seen as a respectable profession. Overall, he is pointing out the flaws in judging someone’s character or value based primarily on their financial situation.

Orwell is saying that under a system where money is considered the primary test of virtue and character, beggars would be seen as failing or lacking virtue. This is because beggars, by definition, do not earn money from their work and rely on others’ charity. Orwell is criticizing the idea that one’s worth or morality can be judged mainly based on their income or financial success. By pointing out that even begging could become respectable “if one could earn ten pounds a week at it,” he shows how arbitrary and flawed it is to use money as the main measure of a person’s virtue.

Birthday: June 25, 1903 – Death: January 25, 1950

George Orwell: Money Tests Virtue

Meaning of George Orwell Money Quote: saying the methods of getting larger amounts of money has become a morality test. George Orwell said:

 

 

“Get money, get it legally, and get a lot of it. Money has become the grand test of virtue” — George Orwell

George Orwell is saying that how people obtain and accumulate money has become a test of their morality and virtue. He suggests that acquiring large amounts of wealth legally and ethically shows that one possesses virtuous qualities like honesty, integrity, and hard work.

However, getting money through illegal or immoral means would show a lack of virtue. Orwell is commenting on how wealth and finances had become a measure of a person’s character during his time.

Birthday: June 25, 1903 – Death: January 25, 1950

George Orwell: Unemployed Losing

Meaning of George Orwell Money Quote: saying an unemployed person may need work more than money. George Orwell said:

 

 

“People are wrong when they think that an unemployed man only worries about losing his wages; on the contrary, an illiterate man, with the work habit in his bones, needs work even more than he needs money” — George Orwell

Orwell is saying that for many people, especially those who are used to working, having a job is more important than just receiving money or wages. Even if an unemployed person is getting some financial support, they may still feel unfulfilled and lack purpose without meaningful work to do.

Orwell suggests that the structure, social interaction, and sense of contribution that often comes from employment can be as vital psychologically as the money itself. So while losing wages is difficult, losing the work itself and the habits that come with it may be an even greater challenge for some unemployed individuals.

Birthday: June 25, 1903 – Death: January 25, 1950

George Orwell: Poverty Frees

Meaning of George Orwell Money Quote: saying being poor frees one from normal expectations, like money frees from working. George Orwell said:
 

 

“Poverty frees them from ordinary standards of behaviour, just as money frees people from work” — George Orwell

Orwell is comparing how poverty and money can both free people from certain social expectations or obligations. He’s saying that being poor frees people from the need to follow ordinary social standards of behavior because they are focused on basic survival instead. Similarly, having money frees people from the need to work in order to support themselves financially.

So both poverty and wealth allow people a kind of freedom from conventions or responsibilities that most people in society face. Orwell is highlighting how extremes of lack of resources or abundance of resources can both remove people from typical social constraints in their own ways.

Birthday: June 25, 1903 – Death: January 25, 1950

George Orwell: Less Money Worry

Meaning of George Orwell Money Quote: saying as expected, little money means little worry and more increases worry. George Orwell said:
 

 

“Within certain limits, it is actually true that the less money you have, the less you worry” — George Orwell

George Orwell suggests that having less money can actually reduce worry, within certain limits. Orwell is likely referring to the idea that having very little money means you have fewer financial obligations and decisions to make. So within the limits of having basic needs met, having fewer financial resources may equate to less stress and worry over money management.

However, having too little money would certainly increase worry due to not being able to afford necessities. Overall, Orwell seems to be commenting that moderate financial means can come with less money-related anxiety than either great wealth or extreme poverty.

Birthday: June 25, 1903 – Death: January 25, 1950

George Orwell: Lottery a Reason to Live

George Orwell Money Quote saying for all those without any vestiges of hope in their life, the dream of riches won’t die because there’s always the lottery. George Orwell said:
 

 

“It was probable that there were some millions of proles for whom the Lottery was the principal if not the only reason for remaining alive. It was their delight, their folly, their anodyne, their intellectual stimulant. Where the Lottery was concerned, even people who could barely read and write seemed capable of intricate calculations and staggering feats of memory” — George Orwell

George Orwell is describing how the lottery serves as a kind of opiate or distraction for millions of “proles” in his dystopian novel 1984. While they live in poverty with little opportunity, the lottery gives them hope of changing their circumstances and a reason to go on living. Even those with little education derive immense intellectual stimulation from calculating odds and remembering past lottery numbers in the hopes of winning.

So Orwell suggests that the lottery, while perhaps not the healthiest motivation, provides crucial psychological sustenance and mental occupation for the downtrodden masses in this bleak totalitarian society that otherwise offers them little joy or prospect of improving their station in life.

Birthday: June 25, 1903 – Death: January 25, 1950