Homo Economicus Quotes

“But if all maximizing models are really arguing is that “people will always seek to maximize something,” then they obviously can’t predict anything, which means employing them can hardly be said to make anthropology more scientific. All they really add to analysis is a set of assumptions about human nature. The assumption, most of all, that no one ever does anything primarily out of concern for others; that whatever one does, one is only trying to get something out of it for oneself. In common English, there is a word for this attitude. It’s called “cynicism.” Most of us try to avoid people who take it too much to heart. In economics, apparently, they call it “science.”
― David Graeber, Toward An Anthropological Theory of Value: The False Coin of Our Own Dreams

“We are, after all, homo economicus.”
― Charles Stross, Neptune's Brood

“In effect, the poor person is a rich person left to fend for him or herself, without the support of institutions that help the person to take 'good' decisions.”
― Daniel Cohen

“La organización excesiva transforma a los hombres y mujeres en autómatas, sofoca el espíritu creador y suprime la misma posibilidad de la libertad.”
― Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Revisited