"Although I was not aware of it at the time, the experience of growing up during the Great Depression was to have a profound impact on my intellectual and professional career"
- Lawrence R. Klein
About this Quote
This quote by Lawrence R. Klein reflects on the effect of his training throughout the Great Depression. At the time, he was uninformed of the profound impact it would have on his life. Nevertheless, in hindsight, he can see how the experience of maturing throughout this hard period formed his intellectual and expert pursuits. The Great Depression was a time of economic hardship and instability, and this most likely instilled in Klein a strong work principles and a desire to be successful. It also most likely provided him an appreciation for the value of money and the value of financial security. The experience of maturing throughout the Great Depression most likely also gave Klein a higher understanding of the financial and social issues of the time, which likely affected his expert profession.
"To be really great in little things, to be truly noble and heroic in the insipid details of everyday life, is a virtue so rare as to be worthy of canonization"
"Having soon discovered to be great, I must appear so, and therefore studiously avoided mixing in society, and wrapped myself in mystery, devoting my time to fasting and prayer"