Då trodde jag att en rik man borde ha viss förståelse för den plats som hans rikedomar kom från. Det var väldigt ung av mig. Stor rikedom bör accepteras utan tvekan eller inte alls.
(I then believed that a rich man should have some understanding of the place from which his riches came. That was very juvenile of me. Great wealth should be accepted unquestioningly, or not at all.)
Citatet från Kurt Vonnegut Jr.s "Jailbird" återspeglar en ungdomlig idealism när det gäller rikedom och dess ursprung. The author implies that he once thought a wealthy individual should appreciate and understand the source of their riches, suggesting a moral responsibility that comes with great fortune. Detta perspektiv erkänner han emellertid senare som naiv, när han kämpar med komplexiteten i rikedom och moral.
Vonnegut contrasts this earlier belief with a more pragmatic view, implying that substantial wealth can exist independently of its origins and should be accepted without question. This shift in understanding points to a broader commentary on society's relationship with wealth, highlighting how societal norms can influence perceptions of morality and responsibility in the context of financial success.