The outcome of any serious research can only be to make two questions grow where only one grew before.
Thorstein VeblenRead
In itself and in its consequences the life of leisure is beautiful and ennobling in all civilised men's eyes.
Interpretation
Leisure is valued for its intrinsic beauty and its positive impact on society.
Thorstein Veblen's quote reflects the idea that a life of leisure is not only beautiful but also honors and elevates individuals in the eyes of civilized society. It suggests that the ability to engage in leisure activities is seen as a mark of social status and a reflection of one's success and refinement in a civilized context.
In practice
This quote could be used in a speech about the importance of work-life balance.
The outcome of any serious research can only be to make two questions grow where only one grew before.
Conspicuous consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability to the gentleman of leisure.
In order to stand well in the eyes of the community, it is necessary to come up to a certain, somewhat indefinite, conventional standard of wealth.
With the exception of the instinct of self-preservation, the propensity for emulation is probably the strongest and most alert and persistent of the economic motives proper.
The basis on which good repute in any highly organized industrial community ultimately rests is pecuniary strength; and the means of showing pecuniary strength, and so of gaining or retaining a good name, are leisure and a conspicuous consumption of goods.
Born in iniquity and conceived in sin, the spirit of nationalism has never ceased to bend human institutions to the service of dissension and distress.
The spirit of the kingdom undermines its defenses. People will rise against the king. A new peace is made; holy laws deteriorate. Paris has never before found herself in such dire straits.
Let us be very careful that we never exalt any minister, or sermon, or book, or friend above the Word of God.
When you say things like, 'We have to wipe out the Taliban,' what does that mean? The Taliban is not a fixed number of people. The Taliban is an ideology that has sprung out of a history that, you know, America created anyway.
If honesty were suddenly introduced into American life, the whole system would collapse.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication-- Steve Jobs turned this into the slogan behind an early Mac advertising campaign. Which doesn't make it less true.
The common argument that crime is caused by poverty is a kind of slander on the poor.
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