Barbara Tuchman Quotes

Man is a creation of desire, not a creation of need.

There is always greed. There is nothing wrong with greed.

Appetite is essentially insatiable, and where it operates as a criterion of both action and enjoyment (that is, everywhere in the Western world since the sixteenth century) it will infallibly discover congenial agencies (mechanical and political) of expression.

The instinct of ownership is fundamental in man’s nature.

Greed, greed, greed. That’s the fundamental problem of mankind. If we can solve that problem, the rest of man’s problems would follow. The only thing that can undermine our free society is greed.

Nobody seemed to be interested in anything except making money.

People will always choose more money over more sex.

We inhabit a world where we're taught that we can have what we desire, and tend to act on it - the least we can do is admit to it when we succumb to our instincts.

Avarice, the spur of industry.

The only reason I'm in Hollywood is that I don't have the moral courage to refuse the money.

From the first day to this, sheer greed was the driving spirit of civilization.

We seem to live in an age where we are quietly appalled by the idea of appetites, whether they be for sex, food or diamonds.

We've been raised to compete, to want more! More! More! It's a way of life. It's about greed.

Sex is like money; only too much is enough.

It is said that desire is a product of the will, but the converse is in fact true: will is a product of desire.

I always want more.

Go miser go, for money sell your soul. Trade wares for wares and trudge from pole to pole, So others may say when you are dead and gone. See what a vast estate he left his son.

I'm a big believer that you can try to change the world based on philosophy, doctrine, and belief. But I think the thing that really drives the world is hedonism, the pleasure factor.

The sum of the whole is plainly this: The nature of man considered in his single capacity, and with respect only to the present world, is adapted and leads him to attain the greatest happiness he can for himself in the present world.

Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.

Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do.

Greed is all right ... Greed is healthy. You can be greedy and still feel good about yourself.

Lust is an appetite that needs to be regulated.

People are extremely reluctant to give up that which gives them pleasure.

Greed has been severely underestimated and denigrated—unfairly so in my opinion. … there's nothing wrong with avarice as a motive as long as it doesn't lead to dishonest … conduct.