All illustrations by CC
Star Trek’s Ferengi, who are often thought of as a reflection of present-day humans, live by the Rules of Acquisition – a collection of 285 sacred proverbs.
| 1 | Once you have their money, you never give it back |
| 3 | Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to |
| 9 | Opportunity plus instinct equals profit |
| 18 | A Ferengi without profit is no Ferengi at all |
| 22 | A wise man can hear profit in the wind |
| 27 | There’s nothing more dangerous than an honest businessman |
| 39 | Don’t tell customers more than they need to know |
| 57 | Good customers are as rare as latinum – treasure them |
| 62 | The riskier the road, the greater the profit |
| 74 | Knowledge equals profit |
| 85 | Never let the competition know what you’re thinking |
| 98 | Every man has his price |
| 103 | Sleep can interfere with opportunity |
| 141 | Only fools pay retail |
| 153 | People will buy anything… especially junk |
| 184 | A Ferengi waits to bid until his opponents have exhausted themselves |
| 214 | Never begin a business negotiation on an empty stomach |
| 218 | Always know what you’re buying |
| 239 | Never be afraid to mislabel a product |
| 272 | Always inspect the merchandise before making a deal |