Gore Vidal: Pleasure Making

Gore Vidal Money Quote saying the joy of making money is in being able to do what you love without reservation and in excess. Gore Vidal said:
 

 

“The greatest pleasure when I started making money was not buying cars or yachts but finding myself able to have as many freshly typed drafts as possible” — Gore Vidal

In this quote, Gore Vidal seems to be conveying his priorities and work ethic as a writer. By stating that the “greatest pleasure” of earning money was being able to obtain “as many freshly typed drafts as possible”, Vidal implies that financial success afforded him the means to focus fully on his craft through iterative revisions.

The quote conveys Vidal’s perspective that true fulfillment came not from extravagances but enabling the writing process itself through ample drafts and edits. Overall, he appears to value the intrinsic rewards of creative expression and improvement over material luxuries, portraying his identity as a man of letters for whom writing remained the primary joy and purpose over outward displays of wealth or status.

Birthday: October 3, 1925 – Death: July 31, 2012

Gore Vidal: Eating Greedy Altruism

Gore Vidal Money Quote saying being greedy is somehow altruistic as we seem to prize our ability to be conforming consumers. Gore Vidal said:
 

 

“Apparently, a concern for others is self-love at its least attractive, while greed is now a sign of the highest altruism. But then to reverse, periodically, the meanings of words is a very small price to pay for our vast freedom not only to conform but to consume” — Gore Vidal

In this quote, Gore Vidal is satirically commenting on societal values and the manipulation of language. He notes that traditionally, caring about others was seen as a positive trait while greed was viewed negatively. However, Vidal suggests these meanings have been reversed in society, with greed now masquerading as altruism through corporate social responsibility programs.

Vidal then states that occasionally reversing the definitions of words is a very small price to pay for the “freedom” people now have both to blindly conform to consumerism and mass consumption. He implies that language is being deliberately distorted to reinforce consumerist ideology and make greed seem virtuous.

Overall, the quote critically examines how semantics and terminology have been adjusted to frame self-interested consumer behavior as socially beneficial, while redefining concern for others negatively. Vidal sees this twisting of meanings as a small cost for enabling the unfettered ability to both conform to corporate messaging and engage in rampant consumption. It satirizes how language is sometimes manipulated to support commercial interests.

Birthday: October 3, 1925 – Death: July 31, 2012

Gore Vidal on Corporate Lawyers in Congress

Gore Vidal Money Quotation saying corporate attorneys are sent to congress by business and banks to write laws that help them avoid taxes. Gore Vidal said that our…:
 

 

“Country is run by… financial powers & corporate interests [who] send their lawyers to Congress to make laws so that they don’t have to pay taxes” — Gore Vidal

This quote from Gore Vidal suggests that large financial and corporate entities effectively control national policymaking by influencing members of Congress. The best interpretation is that Vidal believed powerful economic interests deploy lawyers and lobbyists to shape legislation in ways that benefit their bottom lines, such as by reducing their tax obligations.

According to Vidal, these influential groups can craft laws that allow them to avoid paying full taxes and shift more of the burden to smaller taxpayers. The implication is that Vidal saw the political system as largely responsive to wealthy organized donors rather than ordinary citizens, with tax policy among the areas distorted by this imbalance of influence.

Birthday: October 3, 1925 – Death: July 31, 2012