"I mean, I'm in the business of storytelling, not message making."

Work

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Thematic Reflection

This quotation examines the core nature of Work as articulated by John le Carre. Within historical and literary traditions, reflections on Work provide actionable mental models, challenging individuals to evaluate personal ethics, self-discipline, and daily actions.

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About John le Carre

David John Moore Cornwell, known by his pen name John le Carré, was an English author.
Many of his espionage novels have been adapted for film or television. He has been described as a "sophisticated, morally ambiguous writer", and is considered one of the greatest novelists of the postwar era. During the 1950s and 1960s, he worked for both the Security Service (MI5) and the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). Near the end of his life, le Carré became an Irish citizen.

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More by John le Carre

"During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity."

— John le Carre
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"My definition of a decent society is one that first of all takes care of its losers, and protects its weak."

— John le Carre
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"History keeps her secrets longer than most of us. But she has one secret that I will reveal to you tonight in the greatest confidence. Sometimes there are no winners at all. And sometimes nobody needs to lose."

— John le Carre
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"But I think the real tension lies in the relationship between what you might call the pursuer and his quarry, whether it's the writer or the spy."

— John le Carre
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More about Work

"The important work of moving the world forward does not wait to be done by perfect men."

— George Eliot
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"If I weren't doing the politics, I wouldn't be doing my job."

— Andrew Cuomo
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"When it comes to .NET they've done a really outstanding job."

— Miguel de Icaza
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"Marilyn Monroe was no fun to work with. She would report to work around 5:00 in the evening. You've been in make-up since 8:30 in the morning waiting for her."

— Tony Randall
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