Thomas Carlyle

"Doubt of whatever kind, can be ended by Action alone" (pg. 482). I just have to first start off by syaing that has got to be one of the absolute best quotes in life.

To be quite honest I was surprised at how much money seemed to control and consume peoples lives in the 1800s. I loved reading the "Gospel of Mammonism" but at the same time I was a bit heartbroken about what happened. It is so sad that people, in general, are so completely self-serving. No one is willing to lend a helping hand and it is something the continues until this very day. I am a firm believer in karma and I think the death of the 17 people was karma for not helping out 1 person and her children.

I love the fact that he is all about advocating the working class. People have really lost their sense of working to help better themselves because it seems that money is the only thing that motivates people, then and now, "A man perfects himself by working" (pg. 481). He is talking about the beauty and pride there is in doing manual labor, expressing that there is nothing wrong with being a blue collar employee and jobs or that sort actually help better a person. After reading his work, especially "Labour," it really made me stop and think what is so wrong and taboo about manual labor? Why have physical jobs such as warehouse working or contracting been pushed to the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to what society considers to a an accepatble and more dignified job? Being a doctor/lawyer/CEO/professional athlete are all great careers but without the welders and warehouse workers and contractors who would build the hospitals and arenas and Fortune 500 company buildings? Who would supply the hospitals with the supplies they need to save thousands of lives every single day? Carlyle really opened my eyes to the greatness hard labor brings and I hope those ideas will one day manifest into actions by everyone.