Oliver Stone Quotes

Avarice, the spur of industry.

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

… an avalanche of avarice

… a creed of greed

There is something about prosperity that brings out the worst in some people.

But men are so full of greed today, they'll sell anything for a little piece of money.

The corruption of the American soul is consumerism.

Excess of wealth is cause of covetousness.

We have seen that in this country in the last few years, particularly on Wall Street, with the rise of the old human frailty of greed. This occurs when people begin to serve only their own needs to the detriment of everyone else.

For greed, all nature is too little.

The possession of wealth leads almost inevitably to its abuse. It is the chief, if not the only, cause of evils which desolate this world below. The thirst for gold is responsible for the most regrettable lapses into sin.

The selfish spirit of commerce which knows no country, and feels no passion or principle but that of gain.

I am not in Wall Street for my health.

.... the forces of greed

Today is much more an age of greed

It was left for the present age to endow Covetousness with glamour on a big scale, and to give it a title which it could carry like a flag. It occurred to somebody to call it Enterprise. From the moment of that happy inspiration, Covetousness has gone forward and never looked back.

Make money. Make more money. Make others produce so as to make money... However you get them in or why, just do it.

The dynamo of our economic system is self-interest which may range from mere petty greed to admirable types of self-expression.

Men hate the individual whom they call avaricious only because nothing can be gained from him.

The pride of dying rich raises the loudest laugh in hell.

There are few retreats, that can escape the penetrating eye of avarice.

Avarice has ruined more souls than extravagance.

Man's greed to obtain something for nothing has never yet been able to content itself with a moderate profit.

The wish to acquire more is admittedly a very natural and common thing; and when men succeed in this they are always praised rather than condemned. But when they lack the ability to do so and yet want to acquire more at all costs, they deserve condemnation for their mistakes.

Our fathers worshiped the golden calf. The worst you can say of an American now is, he worships the gold of the calf.