I have never been given to envy - save for the envy I feel toward those people who have the ability to make a marriage work and endure happily.

— J. Paul Getty

In Japan, I was immensely impressed by the politeness, industrious nature and conscientiousness of the Japanese people.

— J. Paul Getty

In my own opinion, the average American's cultural shortcomings can be likened to those of the educated barbarians of ancient Rome. These were barbarians who learned to speak--and often to read and write--Latin. They acquired Roman habits of dress and deportment. Many of them handily mastered Roman commercial, engineering and military techniques--but they remained barbarians nonetheless. They failed to develop any understanding, appreciation or love for the art and culture of the great civilization around them.

— J. Paul Getty

In some respects, a society in which the members reach a universal level in which they are anonymous drones by choice is even more frightening than one in which they are forced to be so against their will. When human beings relinquish their individuality and identity of their own volition, they are also relinquishing their claim to being human.

— J. Paul Getty

In times of rapid change, experience could be your worst enemy.

— J. Paul Getty

It has always been my contention that an individual who can be relied upon to be himself and to be honest unto himself can be relied upon in every other way.

— J. Paul Getty

Money is like manure. You have to spread it around or it smells.

— J. Paul Getty

My evanescent anarchistic tendencies are purely classical. I use the word anarchist in the sense in which it was understood by the ancient Greeks. They, of course, accepted the anarchist as a fairly respectable--if somewhat vehement--opponent of government encroachment on the individual's rights to think and act freely. It is in this sense that I glimpse myself as an anarchist--regretting the growth of government and the ever-increasing trend toward regulation and, worst of all, standardization of human activity.

— J. Paul Getty

My formula for success is rise early work late and strike oil.

— J. Paul Getty

My love of fine art increased - the more of it I saw, the more of it I wanted to see.

— J. Paul Getty