We have established what you are, madam. We are now merely haggling over the price.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker states that identity is established and only price remains to be negotiated.
- In plain terms
- We know who you are, now we just talk price.
- What can you take from it?
- Identity precedes value.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is identity fixed?
- What is the price?
Another view
It reduces complex interactions to transaction.
More from George Bernard Shaw
War does not decide who is right but who is left.
Permalink to quote #239 When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth.[1]
Permalink to quote #241 There is no love sincerer than the love of food.[1]
Permalink to quote #238
Related quotes
1. Never give anything away for nothing. 2. Never give more than you have to (always catch the buyer hungry and always make him wait). 3. Always take back ever…
William S. BurroughsWilliam S. Burroughs quote #1 There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this ma…
John RuskinJohn Ruskin quote #69 It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money - that is all. When you pay too little, you somet…
John RuskinJohn Ruskin quote #70