The mistake you make, don't you see,is in thinking one can live in a corrupt society without being corrupt oneself. After all, what do you achieve by refusing to make money? You're trying to behave as though one could stand right outside our economic system. But one can't. One's got to change the system, or one changes nothing. One can't put things right in a hole-and-corner way, if you take my meaning.

Summary

This quote highlights the idea that it is impossible to remain untainted in a corrupt society. Refusing to participate in unethical practices may seem noble, but it ultimately achieves very little. To truly enact change, one must actively work towards transforming the entire system instead of merely opting out. It emphasizes that one cannot rectify the flaws of society in isolation; it requires confronting and reshaping the system as a whole, rather than addressing issues in a clandestine or obscure manner.

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