Strange Indeed

I'm currently reading Cannery Row, a novel by one of California's greatest writers, John Steinbeck. I'm finding it to be quite philosophical at times, chock full of interesting commentary on society. I was particularly struck by the following dialogue today.

"It has always seemed strange to me," said Doc. "The things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest are the traits of success. And while mean admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second."

"Who wants to be good if he has to be hungry too?" said Richard Frost.

"Oh, it isn't a matter of hunger. It's something quite different. The sale of souls to gain the whole world is completely voluntary and almost unanimous--but not quite."

I must agree with Steinbeck that it is sadly true that we seem to say we value certain kinds of virtues in men and then define "success" in society by opposing traits. I wonder if it's always been this way. Should we change our definition of success, society must needs not always be this way. Though this passage paints a rather pessimistic picture, there's also a ray of optimism at the end.