What does the 109th rule of acquisiton : "Digninity and an Empty Sack is Worth the Sack" actually mean?
What does the 109th rule of acquisiton mean?
- Thread starter Spock_the_Vulcan
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It means dignity isn’t worth anything (to a Ferengi).
I think it's basically meant to mean the same as "beggars can't be choosers". You have nothing, but an opportunity of running a profit by taking on a task that you might feel is "beneath you", you should take it.
Exactly. It's basically an equation in words. Worth (dignity) + Worth (sack) = Worth (sack), therefore Worth (dignity) = 0. It's basically a variant on a real-world saying you sometimes hear, when people want to express that something is worthless -- along the lines of, say, "If I had that and a nickel, I'd have five cents." Or "That and a dollar will buy me a cup of coffee."
It's their way of saying that manufacturing symbolic victories to feel good about yourself is empty and a waste of time, and doesn't change that you failed and have nothing.
I don't think it's specific to failure, since it's a Rule for use in all sorts of situations. It just means that dignity is an intangible thing that you can't spend or profit from, so it's not something that a good Ferengi would consider a priority. If you have to do something undignified to make a profit, you go for it, because all the dignity in the world is worth less than an empty sack.
Although it's ironic to hear Quark quoting that one, since he always struck me as someone who took his dignity very seriously. It was important to him to be seen as respectable and true to his Ferengi values, and it frustrated him that non-Ferengi looked down on him and his people.
That's the literal meaning, I'm talking about its practical applications. It's the response to the self-comforting phrase "I lost everything but I still have my dignity". Which is a situation you are likely to be in if you passed up an opportunity for profit because you considered it beneath you. In other words, "If you lose everything because you didn't want to do what was necessary, the comfort you have that you kept your dignity will be worthless."
That's just another, more retrospective way of saying the same thing. In short, don't put your dignity above profit -- swallow your pride and do whatever it takes. The Rules of Acquisition are meant to guide your decision-making in the first place, to prevent that kind of situation from occurring.
Anyway, in the context of the episode, Martus wasn't saying "I still have my dignity" to comfort himself, but to haggle with Quark about the size of a loan. He asked for a larger amount because he still had his dignity, and Quark quoted the Rule to dismiss dignity as worthless, and made a smaller counteroffer.
That (dignity) and $1.05 will get you a cup of coffee at Dunkin' Donuts, or whatever its 24th century equivalent is.
I quote that frequently, it rings true to me. It's a reminder to not let pride/dignity get in the way of things, because as the rule says it's worth nothing.
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