The ideas I had about supernatural beings came to me the same way that my mathematical ideas did. So I took them seriously.
John Forbes Nash, Jr.Read
It is easy to say that there are the rich and the poor, and so something should be done. But in history, there are always the rich and the poor. If the poor were not as poor, we would still call them the poor. I mean, whoever has less can be called the poor. You will always have the 10% that have less and the 10% that have the most.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the persistent nature of economic disparity throughout history.
John Forbes Nash, Jr. emphasizes that the existence of wealth and poverty is a constant in human history. No matter how society evolves or changes, there will always be a segment of the population that is less affluent. This observation invites deeper reflection on the social structures that maintain economic inequality and challenges the notion of completely eliminating poverty.
Themes
PovertyWealthInequalityHistoryEconomics
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about socio-economic classes during a seminar.
More from John Forbes Nash, Jr.
All quotes →I don't think exactly like a professional economist. I think about economics and economic ideas, but somewhat like an outsider.
John Forbes Nash, Jr.Read
People are always selling the idea that people with mental illness are suffering. I think madness can be an escape. If things are not so good, you maybe want to imagine something better.
John Forbes Nash, Jr.Read
I think mental illness or madness can be an escape also. People don't develop a mental illness because they are in the happiest of situations, usually. One doctor observed that it was rare when people were rich to become schizophrenic. If they were poor or didn't have too much money, then it was more likely.
John Forbes Nash, Jr.Read
It's almost as if a demon might have passed from one host to another.
John Forbes Nash, Jr.Read
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