The real problems of our planet are not economic or technical, they are philosophical. The philosophy of unbridled materialism is being challenged by events.
E. F. SchumacherRead
Man's needs are infinite, and infinitude can be achieved only in the spiritual realm, never in the material.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True fulfillment comes from spiritual wealth rather than material possessions.
E. F. Schumacher emphasizes that while human desires may seem endless, genuine satisfaction and completeness can only be found in spiritual pursuits, highlighting the limitations of material wealth in addressing the deeper needs of the human soul.
Themes
SpiritualityMaterialismFulfillmentNeedsPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
During a seminar on personal development, this quote could be used to underline the importance of inner growth.
More from E. F. Schumacher
All quotes βThe substance of man cannot be measured by Gross National Product.
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The printing press is either the greatest blessing or the greatest curse of modern times, sometimes one forgets which it is.
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By means of trees, wildlife could be conserved, pollution decreased, and the beauty of our landscapes enhanced. This is the way, or at least one of the ways, to spiritual, moral, and cultural regeneration.
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We still have to learn how to live peacefully, not only with our fellow men but also with nature and, above all, with those Higher Powers which have made nature and have made us; for, assuredly, we have not come about by accident and certainly have not made ourselves
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The heart of the matter, as I see it, is the stark fact that world poverty is primarily a problem of two million villages, and thus a problem of two thousand million villagers.
E. F. SchumacherRead
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For all men being originally equals, no one by birth could have the right to set up his own family in perpetual preference to all others forever, and tho' himself might deserve some decent degree of honours of his cotemporaries, yet his descendants might be far too unworthy to inherit them.
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