“ The idea that to make a man work you've got to hold gold in front of his eyes is a growth, not an axiom. We've done that for so long that we've forgotten there's any other way. ”
F. Scott Fitzgerald, This Side of Paradise (1920). copy citation
| Author | F. Scott Fitzgerald |
|---|---|
| Source | This Side of Paradise |
| Topic | money work |
| Date | 1920 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/805/805-h/805-h.htm |
Context
“«Not by a darned sight—unless we're all children. Did you ever see a grown man when he's trying for a secret society—or a rising family whose name is up at some club? They'll jump when they hear the sound of the word. The idea that to make a man work you've got to hold gold in front of his eyes is a growth, not an axiom. We've done that for so long that we've forgotten there's any other way. We've made a world where that's necessary. Let me tell you»—Amory became emphatic—«if there were ten men insured against either wealth or starvation, and offered a green ribbon for five hours' work a day and a blue ribbon for ten hours' work a day, nine out of ten of them would be trying for the blue ribbon.”
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Meaning and analysis
