"People like to do things. They like to do them well. People take the dangerous, hard jobs because they take pride in doing them, they can—egoize, we call it—show off?—to the weaker ones. Hey, look, little boys, see how strong I am! You know? A person likes to do what he is good at doing.... But really, it is the question of ends and means. After all, work is done for the work’s sake. It is the lasting pleasure of life. The private conscience knows that. And also the social conscience, the opinion of one’s neighbors. There is no other reward, on Anarres, no other law. One’s own pleasure, and the respect of one’s fellows. That is all. When that is so, then you see the opinion of the neighbors becomes a very mighty force."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Fantasy authorsScience fiction authors from the United StatesEssayists from the United StatesChildren's authors20th-century poets from the United States
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Chapter 5 (p. 150)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ursula_K._Le_Guin
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula K. Le Guin (21 October 1929 – 22 January 2018) was an American writer, known mostly for her work in science fiction and fantasy. She received the Hugo Award, Nebula Award, Locus Award, and World Fantasy Award, and was made a Grandmaster of Science Fiction in 2003.
327 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Ursula K. Le Guin →
Related Quotes
"Uninfluenced by others, he never knew he influenced them; he had no idea they liked him."
"Suffering is dysfunctional, except as a bodily warning against danger. Psychologically and socially it’s merely destr…"
"It is of the nature of idea to be communicated: written, spoken, done. The idea is like grass. It craves light, likes…"
"To claim power over what you do not understand is not wise, nor is the end of it likely to be good."
"Aye. Like knows like, sister"
"O foolish writer. Now moves. Even in storytime, dreamtime, once-upon-a-time, now isn’t then."
"I can never get used to the fact, though I know it, that women are born cynics. Men have to learn cynicism. Infant gi…"
"In general I evade “virtual experiences,” which were always recorded in better weather than it is today and which tak…"
"The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty: not knowing what comes next."
"Greed puts out the sun."