“All human beings have their price, and quite often it is surprisingly small. The trick consists of knowing exactly what that price is, when they themselves do not.”

—  Michael Swanwick , book Jack Faust

Source: Jack Faust (1997), Chapter 6, “Practical Designs” (p. 83)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "All human beings have their price, and quite often it is surprisingly small. The trick consists of knowing exactly what…" by Michael Swanwick?
Michael Swanwick photo
Michael Swanwick 96
American science fiction author 1950

Related quotes

Robert T. Kiyosaki photo

““Most people have a price. And they have a price because of human emotions named fear and greed.”

Robert T. Kiyosaki (1947) American finance author , investor

Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money-That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not!

Eldridge Cleaver photo

“The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less.”

Eldridge Cleaver (1935–1998) American activist

"On Becoming"
1960s, Soul on Ice (1968)

Jacque Fresco photo

“When education and resources are available to all without a price tag, there will be no limit to human potential.”

Jacque Fresco (1916–2017) American futurist and self-described social engineer

Source: Designing the Future (2007), p.81

J.M. Coetzee photo

“Sometimes when he is among the sheep — when they have been rounded up to be dipped, and are penned tight and cannot get away — he wants to whisper to them, warn them of what lies in store. But then in their yellow eyes he catches a glimpse of something that silences him: a resignation, a foreknowledge not only of what happens to sheep at the hands of Ros behind the shed, but of what awaits them at the end of their long, thirsty ride to Cape Town on the transport lorry. They know it all, down to the finest detail, and yet they submit. They have calculated the price and are prepared to pay it — the price of being on earth, the price of being alive.”

J.M. Coetzee (1940) South African writer

Boyhood (1998)

Stanley A. McChrystal photo

“Service in this business is tough and often dangerous. It extracts a price for participants, and that price can be high.”

Stanley A. McChrystal (1954) American general

Retirement ceremony, Friday, 23 July 2010, as quoted in The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/24/us/24mcchrystal.html.
2010
Context: Service in this business is tough and often dangerous. It extracts a price for participants, and that price can be high. It is tempting to protect yourself from the personal and professional cost of loss by limiting how much you commit, how much you believe and trust in people, and how deeply you care… If I had it to do over again, I’ d do some things in my career differently, but not many. I believed in people and I still believe in them. I trusted and I still trust. I cared and I still care. I wouldn’ t have had it any other way.

Tanith Lee photo

“I had not yet learned the lesson that when you are forever telling yourself that such and such is worth the price, then the price is too high and has been paid too often.”

Tanith Lee book Vazkor, Son of Vazkor

Book Two, Part I “Yellow City”, Chapter 5 (p. 152)
Vazkor, Son of Vazkor (1978)

James Madison photo

“I do not expect to get near the worth of him; but cannot think of punishing him by transportation merely for coveting that liberty for which we have paid the prices of so much blood, and have proclaimed so often to be the right, and worthy the pursuit of every human being”

James Madison (1751–1836) 4th president of the United States (1809 to 1817)

Letter to James Madison, Sr. (8 September 1783) https://books.google.com/books?id=-IrnXiH2lbAC&pg=PA11&dq=%22Madison%22+%22coveting+that+liberty+for+which+we+have+paid%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAGoVChMI_ab6o9vWxwIVCmg-Ch1jIgiE#v=onepage&q=%22Madison%22%20%22coveting%20that%20liberty%20for%20which%20we%20have%20paid%22&f=false
1780s
Context: On a view of all circumstances I have judged it most prudent not to force Billey back to Virginia even if it could be done; and have accordingly taken measures for his final separation from me. I am persuaded his mind is too thoroughly tainted to be a fit companion for fellow slaves in Virginia. The laws here do not admit of his being sold for more than 7 years. I do not expect to get near the worth of him; but cannot think of punishing him by transportation merely for coveting that liberty for which we have paid the prices of so much blood, and have proclaimed so often to be the right, and worthy the pursuit of every human being.

““It would have been a longer and slower job, I’m sure, and probably there would have been a high price to pay. But what is the price of freedom?”
“What’s the price of life?” Donald countered bitterly.”

John Brunner book Stand on Zanzibar

continuity (37) “Storage”
Stand on Zanzibar (1968)

Andrey Illarionov photo

“There is no such thing as a gas market prices, because there is no such thing as gas market. What they are doing to Ukraine is obvious price discrimination.”

Andrey Illarionov (1961) Russian politician

In response to the question: The Kremlin says it just charges market prices.
"Q&A: Putin's Critical Adviser," 2005

Related topics