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About this quote

What does it mean?
Galbraith notes a segment of society admires billionaires regardless of their merit. He implies this admiration is blind or uncritical.
In plain terms
Many people admire anyone who becomes extremely wealthy.
What can you take from it?
Wealth often earns admiration without requiring moral virtue.

Where it applies

  • social commentary
  • wealth analysis
  • public opinion

Putting it to work

  • question wealth admiration
  • assess value beyond money

Questions to consider

  • Why do we admire wealth?
  • Does money equal worth?

Another view

Some admire billionaires for perceived innovation or success.

More from John Kenneth Galbraith

  1. People who are in a fortunate position always attribute virtue to what makes them so happy.

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  2. The contented and economically comfortable have a very discriminating view of government. Nobody is ever indignant about bailing out failed banks and failed sa…

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  3. The great dialectic in our time is not, as anciently and by some still supposed, between capital and labor; it is between economic enterprise and the state.

    Permalink to quote #52

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