What an occupation! To sit and flay your fellow men and then offer their skins for sale and expect them to buy them.
This quote sharply critiques professions built on exploitation, highlighting the moral ambiguities involved in figurative 'flaying' others β perhaps metaphorically referring to causing harm or suffering β and then profiting from it. It serves as a pointed reminder to scrutinize the ethics behind certain trades or industries that may thrive on the misfortune or vulnerability of others. Such reflection urges us to consider the moral implications of our work and the societal structures that enable exploitation, encouraging a more conscientious and ethical approach to commerce and interpersonal conduct.