William Durant: What is Money?

Posted by admin on Tuesday, April 26, 2022

William Durant Money Quote saying money is not everything, it can be loaned to men until they use it or die – then it’s spent or gone. William Durant said:
 

“Money, what is money? It is only loaned to a man: he comes into the world with nothing and he leaves with nothing” — William Durant

 

 

In this quote, William Durant is making a philosophical point about the transient nature of money and material wealth. Specifically, he notes that individuals are born with nothing and they ultimately depart this world with nothing, so money itself is a temporary thing that is only “loaned” to a person during their lifetime.

The best interpretation is that Durant believed money holds no intrinsic value, since one enters and exits life empty-handed. From this perspective, money is just something we have access to and control over for a limited period of time, but it is not truly ours and does not last beyond death.

Overall, Durant seems to be encouraging people not to place too much importance on accumulating wealth, since ultimately it cannot be retained once life concludes. Money is almost an illusion from this viewpoint, as what really matters are non-material things like relationships, experiences and contributions that outlive an individual.