--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The mind is a miser,\" he said. \"Nothing…" description: "\"“The mind is a miser,\" he said. \"Nothing is ever thrown away, and it's amazing what you can find if you dig deep enough.”\" — Barry Hughart" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd5/barry-hughart-19013_deep_the-mind-is-a-miser-he-said-nothing-is-e_169641.png" --- # The mind is a miser," he said. "Nothing is ever thrown… ![“The mind is a miser," he said. "Nothing is ever thrown away, and it's amazing what you can find if you dig deep enough.” quote by Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd5/barry-hughart-19013_deep_the-mind-is-a-miser-he-said-nothing-is-e_169641.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd5/barry-hughart-19013_deep_the-mind-is-a-miser-he-said-nothing-is-e_169641.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd5/barry-hughart-19013_deep_the-mind-is-a-miser-he-said-nothing-is-e_169641.png) > ““The mind is a miser," he said. "Nothing is ever thrown away, and it's amazing what you can find if you dig deep enough.”” [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote likens the mind to a miser, suggesting it hoards thoughts and that deep introspection can uncover valuable insights. **In simple terms:** The mind hoards thoughts; digging reveals value. Key Takeaway Explore inner depths for hidden wisdom. Themes self‑reflection mental wealth curiosity psychology Mood contemplative inquisitive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - journaling - therapy - creative brainstorming Key Concepts Cognitive psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What hidden ideas might you discover? - How can you balance mind‑hoarding and sharing? A Different Perspective It may imply over‑analysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep/) [Dig deep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dig-deep/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Miser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-miser-1839365/) [Miser Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miser-said-1839366/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [Part of our job is to dig deep and rediscover the joy that we had when we were first starting out. Also, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/part-of-our-job-is-to-dig-deep-and-rediscover-the-joy-that-we-had/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [If we want to share the message of the composers, to give good things back to humanity, we have to dig deep while we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andris-nelsons/if-we-want-to-share-the-message-of-the-composers-to-give-good-things/) [Andris Nelsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andris-nelsons/) > [You have got to dig deep into your own spectrum while playing a character. If I am playing evil, believe me, I am bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/you-have-got-to-dig-deep-into-your-own-spectrum-while-playing-a/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [You have to dig deep to make great music, and it gets harder and harder. It's a difficult, painful process to reach deep in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/you-have-to-dig-deep-to-make-great-music-and-it-gets-harder-and/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [If you were a kid and you wanted to come out and make a statement now, you'd have to really dig deep to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slash/if-you-were-a-kid-and-you-wanted-to-come-out-and-make-a-statement-now/) [Slash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slash/) > [There are always lessons to be found in the darkest moments. It's a moral obligation to dig deep and find that little glimmer of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-pirlo/there-are-always-lessons-to-be-found-in-the-darkest-moments-it-s-a/) [Andrea Pirlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-pirlo/) > [If you want to do things right, you have to dig deep for that inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/synyster-gates/if-you-want-to-do-things-right-you-have-to-dig-deep-for-that/) [Synyster Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/synyster-gates/) > [I need to have people doubting me, because that's when you dig deep and find out what you're made of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-peavy/i-need-to-have-people-doubting-me-because-that-s-when-you-dig-deep/) [Jake Peavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-peavy/) > [You know, the benefit in life is to say, 'Maybe you made a mistake, let's dig deep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/you-know-the-benefit-in-life-is-to-say-maybe-you-made-a-mistake-let-s/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [I like characters with problems. I like to understand them... To play alcoholics, fetishists, strange girls, you have to dig deep within yourself. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-trintignant/i-like-characters-with-problems-i-like-to-understand-them-to-play/) [Marie Trintignant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-trintignant/) > [Folks may not be familiar with Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMs, but they live with the effects of PBMs almost every time they go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-tuberville/folks-may-not-be-familiar-with-pharmacy-benefit-managers-or-pbms-but/) [Tommy Tuberville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-tuberville/) > [“Through my willingness to train every day and to dig deep in the after-class ukemi sessions, over time I earned the respect and friendship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-holiday/through-my-willingness-to-train-every-day-and-to-dig-deep-in-the/) [Linda Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-holiday/) > [You dig deeper and it gets more and more complicated, and you get confused, and it's tricky and it's hard, but... It is beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cox/you-dig-deeper-and-it-gets-more-and-more-complicated-and-you-get/) [Brian Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cox/) > [Go get your shovel and we'll dig a deep hole. To bury the castle, bury the castle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramore/go-get-your-shovel-and-we-ll-dig-a-deep-hole-to-bury-the-castle-bury/) [Paramore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramore/) > [“Personally, I’m a mess of conflicting impulses—I’m independent and greedy and I also want to belong and share and be a part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/personally-i-m-a-mess-of-conflicting-impulses-i-m-independent-and/) [Richard Siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/) ## More by Barry Hughart > [I have never been able to understand why perfectly sensible people waste time being wittily obscure instead of just saying what they want and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/i-have-never-been-able-to-understand-why-perfectly-sensible-people/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [“Master Li turned bright red while he scorched the air with the Sixty Sequential Sacrileges with which he had won the all-China Freestyle Blasphemy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/master-li-turned-bright-red-while-he-scorched-the-air-with-the-sixty/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the corners of the world. May your villages remain ignorant of tax collectors, and may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/i-shall-clasp-my-hands-together-and-bow-to-the-corners-of-the-world/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [“Occasionally a moderately intelligent thought misses a turn and accidentally enters my mind”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/occasionally-a-moderately-intelligent-thought-misses-a-turn-and/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [“Ox, at an early age a Chinese genius gazes at the path that lies ahead and reaches for a wine jar," Master Li said.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/ox-at-an-early-age-a-chinese-genius-gazes-at-the-path-that-lies-ahead/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [“everybody knows that the soul of a cat is formed from the composite souls of nine debauched nuns who failed in their vows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/everybody-knows-that-the-soul-of-a-cat-is-formed-from-the-composite/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [“Ox, what occupation is most closely linked to insanity?' 'Emperor,' I said promptly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/ox-what-occupation-is-most-closely-linked-to-insanity-emperor-i-said/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [“Nothing on the face of this earth - and I do mean nothing - is half so dangerous as a children's story that happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/nothing-on-the-face-of-this-earth-and-i-do-mean-nothing-is-half-so/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [“Mystery and terror are the bulwarks of tyranny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/mystery-and-terror-are-the-bulwarks-of-tyranny/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [Blessed are the idiots, for they are happiest people on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/blessed-are-the-idiots-for-they-are-happiest-people-on-earth/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [ “The problem with 'the crown jewel of Chinese literature' \[Dream of the Red Chamber\] is that it has two thousand pages and an equal… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/the-problem-with-the-crown-jewel-of-chinese-literature-dream-of-the/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [“...the problem with poetic justice is that it never knows when to stop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/the-problem-with-poetic-justice-is-that-it-never-knows-when-to-stop/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > ['Immortality is only for the gods,' he whispered. 'I wonder how they can stand it.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/immortality-is-only-for-the-gods-he-whispered-i-wonder-how-they-can/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [“Boy, just look at the soul shining through my eyes! It’s like a goddamned flower!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/boy-just-look-at-the-soul-shining-through-my-eyes-it-s-like-a/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) > [Error can point the way to truth, while empty-headedness can only lead to more empty-headedness or to a career in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/error-can-point-the-way-to-truth-while-empty-headedness-can-only-lead/) [Barry Hughart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) [Explore all 32 Barry Hughart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/) ## More Deep quotes > [There is no precedent of an advanced economy withdrawing from a trade agreement as deep and as complex as the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-johnson/there-is-no-precedent-of-an-advanced-economy-withdrawing-from-a-trade/) [Jo Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-johnson/) > [I'm just going to express my opinion and try to change the way people think with the stuff I write or try to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-m-just-going-to-express-my-opinion-and-try-to-change-the-way-people/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [I don't feel I have to write deep and meaningful songs; they can be light and meaningless. It has to do with the place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/i-don-t-feel-i-have-to-write-deep-and-meaningful-songs-they-can-be/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [From time to time I look at the picture when I am very sad. I just want to remember my past and that scene…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phan-thi-kim-phuc/from-time-to-time-i-look-at-the-picture-when-i-am-very-sad-i-just/) [Phan Thi Kim Phuc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phan-thi-kim-phuc/) > [“Haunted by the longing to feel something real, deep and magical; I searched for a shared ecstasy... that's when you came along.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/haunted-by-the-longing-to-feel-something-real-deep-and-magical-i/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [And I always think of life like a giant wave. You know, it rises and it crests and it flies, and it's just magnificent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-seymour/and-i-always-think-of-life-like-a-giant-wave-you-know-it-rises-and-it/) [Jane Seymour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-seymour/) > [Extremist perspectives win sympathy and recruits because they offer narratives that claim to identify deep injustices and enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-gahr-store/extremist-perspectives-win-sympathy-and-recruits-because-they-offer/) [Jonas Gahr Store](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-gahr-store/) > [I want to have a lengthy career. I want to play interesting characters. I want to tell beautiful stories, complex stories, deep stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/i-want-to-have-a-lengthy-career-i-want-to-play-interesting-characters/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [We all have love hidden deep inside us. It just takes that special person to look hard enough to find it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-all-have-love-hidden-deep-inside-us-it-just-takes-that-special/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They say a picture paints a thousand words. Well I say my eyes will tell you everything you need to know. Can you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemis-khan/they-say-a-picture-paints-a-thousand-words-well-i-say-my-eyes-will/) [Kemis Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemis-khan/) > [I had a brilliant relationship with Thomas Tuchel. We spoke a lot, not only on the surface, but really deep about football and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-had-a-brilliant-relationship-with-thomas-tuchel-we-spoke-a-lot-not/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [I want to go deep into fashion; I want to go maybe into acting. There's a lot of stuff I would like to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-peep/i-want-to-go-deep-into-fashion-i-want-to-go-maybe-into-acting-there-s/) [Lil Peep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-peep/) > [The personal, if it is deep enough, becomes universal, mythical, symbolic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/the-personal-if-it-is-deep-enough-becomes-universal-mythical-symbolic/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [It's fun, and a laugh for you... you can boo me and feel happy about yourself because you're part of the crowd that did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-goodes/it-s-fun-and-a-laugh-for-you-you-can-boo-me-and-feel-happy-about/) [Adam Goodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goodes/) > [We should bathe our spirits in the deep, pure feeling that stirs within us when we gaze on the glories of His creation. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/we-should-bathe-our-spirits-in-the-deep-pure-feeling-that-stirs/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) [Browse all 3,514 Deep quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The mind is a miser,\" he said. \"Nothing is ever thrown away, and it's amazing what you can find if you dig deep enough.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barry Hughart" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/the-mind-is-a-miser-he-said-nothing-is-ever-thrown-away-and-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deep" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/the-mind-is-a-miser-he-said-nothing-is-ever-thrown-away-and-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd5/barry-hughart-19013_deep_the-mind-is-a-miser-he-said-nothing-is-e_169641.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd5/barry-hughart-19013_deep_the-mind-is-a-miser-he-said-nothing-is-e_169641.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd5/barry-hughart-19013_deep_the-mind-is-a-miser-he-said-nothing-is-e_169641.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The mind is a miser,\" he said. \"Nothing is ever thrown away, and it's amazing what you can find if you dig…” — Barry Hughart", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barry Hughart", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hughart/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The mind is a miser,\" he...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/the-mind-is-a-miser-he-said-nothing-is-ever-thrown-away-and-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hughart/the-mind-is-a-miser-he-said-nothing-is-ever-thrown-away-and-it-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```