Hermann Hesse: Ruined by Money

Posted by admin on Sunday, January 22, 2023

Meaning of Hermann Hesse Money Quote: saying people are often ruined by their own obsessions, including money. Hermann Hesse said:

 

 

“The man of power is ruined by power, the man of money by money, the submissive man by subservience, the pleasure seeker by pleasure” — Hermann Hesse

 

 

This quote by Hermann Hesse seems to be commenting on how pursuing certain things to an extreme can be ruinous. Some key points:

• The man of power is ruined by power, likely meaning that seeking power above all else and allowing it to corrupt one can lead to downfall.
• The man of money is ruined by money, in that being obsessed with wealth and defining oneself through monetary gains alone may not lead to happiness or fulfillment.
• The submissive man is ruined by subservience, in that being too submissive to others’ wills without having one’s own agency or identity can be damaging.
• The pleasure seeker is ruined by pleasure, in that solely living for pleasure and indulgence without deeper purpose or balance can be empty or destructive in the long run.

Overall, the quote seems to be saying that pursuing any one thing to the exclusion of all else, whether it be power, wealth, subservience or pleasure, can be one’s undoing if not kept in moderation and balanced with other aspects of life. Moderation and balance are important to avoid being “ruined” by the very things one seeks.

Birthday: July 2, 1877 – Death: August 9, 1962