Saying: A loan is a strange thing. You only get it immediately if you can prove you don't need it.
Info
- Title: A loan is a strange thing. You only get it immediately if you can prove you don't need it.
- Type: Sayings
- Category: { Humor and Wit }
- Print: Download as PDF for printing
Curt Goetz expresses with the sentence “A loan is a strange thing. You only get it immediately if you can prove you don’t need it.” a humorous observation on loan approval. The German‑Swiss author and actor sharply reflects on the paradoxical logic of finance. This quote ranks among his most famous aphorisms and occasionally appears in discussions of credit culture and economic irony.
Origin and Use of the Quote
The quote clearly originates from Curt Goetz (1888–1960), a German‑Swiss writer, actor, and comedy playwright. The exact original wording in German is: „Ein Kredit ist eine merkwürdige Sache. Sofort bekommt man ihn nur, wenn man beweisen kann, dass man ihn nicht braucht.“ It appears in collections of humorous quotes about economy, credit and societal logic, and is cited in literary or cultural‑education contexts.
Meaning and Interpretation of the Quote
With this statement Goetz highlights the paradox in financial expectations: only those who seem independent receive a loan immediately—emphasizing the irony of the situation.
The saying points to a mismatch between need and actual loan approval—a financial paradox where need results in exclusion.
Through pointed phrasing Goetz invites reflection on social and economic perception: need is not viewed as strength, but as obstacle.
This perspective emphasizes the importance of critical thinking in financial decision‑making: a loan appears available precisely when it is not needed.
The quote appears in literary quotation collections, speeches about financial logic, and in societal discussions on perception and economic power.