"Give us the luxuries of life, and we will dispense with its necessaries"
- John Lothrop Motley
About this Quote
This quote by John Lothrop Motley speaks to the concept that people want to pass up the basic needs of life if they are supplied with the luxuries. It recommends that individuals are most likely to be content with their lives if they have access to the finer things. This might be analyzed as a commentary on the human condition, as it suggests that individuals are most likely to be satisfied with their lives if they have access to the high-ends that include wealth and privilege. It could also be seen as a criticism of the unequal circulation of wealth and resources in society, as it indicates that those with access to the high-ends of life are most likely to be content than those without. Eventually, this quote talks to the concept that people want to give up the standard necessities of life if they are offered with the high-ends, and that this might be seen as a commentary on the unequal distribution of wealth and resources in society.
"Life is life - whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man's own advantage"