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About this quote

What does it mean?
Scrooge dismisses the spirit of Christmas and human connection as nonsense and deception.
In plain terms
He rejects kindness and holiday cheer as fake.
What can you take from it?
Dismissiveness blocks understanding of others' suffering.

Where it applies

  • holiday discussions
  • social rejection
  • business negotiations

Putting it to work

  • recognize deflection
  • ask why someone is cynical
  • offer warmth instead of judgment

Questions to consider

  • What drives someone to reject joy?
  • How do we respond to closed-off people?

Another view

The quote lacks context about why Scrooge feels this way.

More from Charles Dickens

  1. Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.

    Permalink to quote #71
  2. I should have liked, I do confess, to have had the lightest license of a child, and yet to have been man enough to know its value.

    Permalink to quote #73
  3. But charity begins at home, and justice begins next door.

    Permalink to quote #70

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