#greed

It is greed to do all the talking but not to want to listen at all. ↗

— Democritus

#listen #talking #want

To make a deliberate falsification for personal gain is the last, worst depth to which either scholar or artist can descend in work or life. (Letter to Muriel St. Clare Byrne, 8 September 1935) ↗

— Dorothy L. Sayers

#artists #falsification #gain #greed #honesty

There was somewhere, if you knew where to find it, some place where money could be made like drawing water from a well, some Big Rock Candy Mountain where life was effortless and rich and unrestricted and full of adventure and action, where something could be had for nothing. ↗

— Wallace Stegner

#greed #illusion #life

When the greedy executives of rich religions go before Him, they will say, "Remember me for who I was." And God will answer, "I do remember but you have forgotten who you use to be. ↗

— Shannon L. Alder

#religious-greed #religion

Two hungry wolves let loose among sheep are not more harmful then a person craving after wealth and status is to his Deen (Religion). ↗

— al-Haafidh ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee

#craving-for-wealth #greed #quotes-of-prophet-muhammad #status #wealth

The Master said, “A true gentleman is one who has set his heart upon the Way. A fellow who is ashamed merely of shabby clothing or modest meals is not even worth conversing with.” (Analects 4.9) ↗

— Confucius

#china #consumerism #greed #materialism #simplicity

he who is greedy is always in want ↗

— Horace

#greed #satisfaction #wisdom #satisfaction

Manifest plainness, Embrace simplicity, Reduce selfishness, Have few desires. ↗

— Lao Tzu

#envy #greed #illusions #selfishness #simplicity

There are people who are never content, never appeased, forever dissatisfied; who continually look to what escapes them, convincing themselves that if only they could attain that one desire outside of reach, they would be happy.  It seems almost pointless to give to these people because their eyes immediately shift from the gift to stare miserably at the portion held back.  Their wants, demands, expectations, appetites are never satiated, thus, they refuse to be happy.  And you cannot make them so. ↗

— Richelle E. Goodrich

#greed #misery #richelle #richelle-goodrich #unappeasable

Holmes took up the stone and held it against the light. "It's a bonny thing," said he. "Just see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and focus of crime. Every good stone is. They are the devil's pet baits. In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a bloody deed. This stone is not yet twenty years old. It was found in the banks of the Amoy River in soutern China and is remarkable in having every characteristic of the carbuncle, save that it is blue in shade instead of ruby red. In spite of its youth, it has already a sinister history. There have been two murders, a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies brought about for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallised charcoal. Who would think that so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the gallows and the prison? ↗

— Arthur Conan Doyle

#gems #greed #jewels #murder #precious-stones