Quotes About Materialism

Nicht das Bewußtsein bestimmt das Leben, sondern das Leben bestimmt das Bewußtsein.

Theory becomes realized among a people only in so far as it represents the realization of that people's needs.

The highest point reached by contemplative [anschauende] materialism, that is, materialism which does not comprehend sensuousness as practical activity, is the contemplation of single individuals and of civil society [bürgerlichen Gesellschaft].

The main defect of all hitherto-existing materialism — that of Feuerbach included — is that the Object [der Gegenstand], actuality, sensuousness, are conceived only in the form of the object [Objekts], or of contemplation [Anschauung], but not as human sensuous activity, practice [Praxis], not subjectively.

The head of this emancipation is philosophy; its heart is the proletariat. Philosophy cannot be realized without the abolition of the proletariat, the proletariat cannot abolish itself without realizing philosophy.

At the same pace that mankind masters nature, man seems to become enslaved to other men or to his own infamy. Even the pure light of science seems unable to shine but on the dark background of ignorance. All our invention and progress seem to result in endowing material forces with intellectual life, and in stultifying human life into a material force. - Speech at anniversary of the People's Paper, April 1856

All our invention and progress seem to result in endowing material forces with intellectual life, and stultifying human life into a material force.

The standpoint of the old materialism is civil society; the standpoint of the new is human society, or social humanity. - Theses On Feuerbach (1845)

The highest point reached by contemplative materialism, that is, materialism which does not comprehend sensuousness as practical activity, is contemplation of single individuals and of civil society. - Theses On Feuerbach (1845)

The materialist doctrine concerning the changing of circumstances and upbringing forgets that circumstances are changed by men and that it is essential to educate the educator himself. This doctrine must, therefore, divide society into two parts, one of which is superior to society. The coincidence of the changing of circumstances and of human activity or self-changing can be conceived and rationally understood only as revolutionary practice. - Theses On Feuerbach (1845)

Tarihte ne olduysa öyle olmas? gerektiÄŸi, baÅŸka türlü olamayaca?? için öyle olmuÅŸtur

But Lenin founded a very unorthodox Marxist party, if indeed it should be called Marxist at all. Lenin learned to be an atheist, a revolutionary, and a socialist from other native Russian revolutionaries, no from Marx. He picked up the doctrine of dialectical materialism from the Russian revolutionary N.G. Chernyshevskii, not from Marx. An observation by Francis B. Randall

All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses, his real conditions of life and his relations with his kind.

Riches ennoble a man's circumstances, but not himself.

Man must choose whether to be rich in things or in the freedom to use them.

We see how much a man has, and therefore we envy him; did we see how little he enjoys, we should rather pity him.

Though we take from a covetous man all his treasure, he has yet one jewel left; you cannot bereave him of his covetousness.

Riches expose a man to pride and luxury, and a foolish elation of heart.

Most men have always wanted as much as they could get; and possession has always blunted the fine edge of their altruism.

Wealth is a great sin in the eyes of God. Poverty is a great sin in the eyes of man.

When an American heiress wants to buy a man, she at once crosses the Atlantic. The only really materialistic people I have ever met have been Europeans.

Man finds happiness only in the superfluous. Under communism, he has only the essentials. How abominable and ridiculous!

The poor man is ruined as soon as he begins to ape the rich.

That is suitable to a man, in point of ornamental expense, not which he can afford to have, but which he can afford to lose.