--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On being asked what condition of man he…" description: "\"On being asked what condition of man he considered the most pitiable: A lonesome man on a rainy day who does not know how to read.\" — Benjamin Franklin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/benjamin-franklin-65_conditions_on-being-asked-what-condition-of-man-he_3088770.png" --- # On being asked what condition of man he considered the… ![“On being asked what condition of man he considered the most pitiable: A lonesome man on a rainy day who does not know how to read.” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/benjamin-franklin-65_conditions_on-being-asked-what-condition-of-man-he_3088770.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/benjamin-franklin-65_conditions_on-being-asked-what-condition-of-man-he_3088770.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/benjamin-franklin-65_conditions_on-being-asked-what-condition-of-man-he_3088770.png) > “On being asked what condition of man he considered the most pitiable: A lonesome man on a rainy day who does not know how to read.” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A solitary, illiterate person on a rainy day suffers deeply because they lack the means to understand and engage with the world. **In simple terms:** Illiteracy and isolation cause profound misery. Key Takeaway Promote literacy and community connection. Themes education isolation human dignity weather solitude Mood reflective empathetic Type social humanitarian When to use this quote - libraries - adult education - community centers - rainy day activities Key Concepts Literacy social inclusion human empathy Questions to Reflect On - What programs can reach isolated individuals on rainy days? - How does literacy change one's experience of solitude? A Different Perspective Even with resources, isolation can persist without social support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Condition Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/condition-man-2016893/) [Conditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditions/) [Considered Pitiable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considered-pitiable-5300807/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Know how](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-how/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Lonesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonesome/) [Lonesome Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonesome-man-2216372/) [Man Rainy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-rainy-768491/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pitiable Lonesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pitiable-lonesome-5300806/) [Rainy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rainy/) [Rainy day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rainy-day/) ## Related quotes > [“What condition of man most deserves pity?" - Franklin offered: "A lonesome man on a rainy day who does not know how to read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/what-condition-of-man-most-deserves-pity-franklin-offered-a-lonesome/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“I do love you. I’d be one miserable and lonesome man without you around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/i-do-love-you-i-d-be-one-miserable-and-lonesome-man-without-you-around/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [A lonely man on a rainy night who cannot read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-lonely-man-on-a-rainy-night-who-cannot-read/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Every man has a rainy corner of his life whence comes foul weather which follows him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/every-man-has-a-rainy-corner-of-his-life-whence-comes-foul-weather/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [There was no cure for the human condition because every man read the present and plotted the future in the light of his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-west/there-was-no-cure-for-the-human-condition-because-every-man-read-the/) [Morris West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-west/) > [“The fundamental condition of man is his verticality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/the-fundamental-condition-of-man-is-his-verticality/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The condition of man... is a condition of war of everyone against everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-condition-of-man-is-a-condition-of-war-of-everyone-against/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Brotherhood is the very price and condition of man's survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-p-romulo/brotherhood-is-the-very-price-and-condition-of-man-s-survival/) [Carlos P. Romulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-p-romulo/) > [And because the condition of Man, (as hath been declared in the precedent Chapter) is a condition of Warre of every one against everyone;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/and-because-the-condition-of-man-as-hath-been-declared-in-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [An actor feels the dilemma of being a human being and through his art tries to explain the condition of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cassidy/an-actor-feels-the-dilemma-of-being-a-human-being-and-through-his-art/) [Ted Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cassidy/) > [Music is only a means to an end - it is not the end. The concern is with the condition of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdullah-ibrahim/music-is-only-a-means-to-an-end-it-is-not-the-end-the-concern-is-with/) [Abdullah Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdullah-ibrahim/) > [I am primarily concerned with the condition of man,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-levine/i-am-primarily-concerned-with-the-condition-of-man/) [Jack Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-levine/) > [The person who deserves most pity is a lonesome one on a rainy day who doesn't know how to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-person-who-deserves-most-pity-is-a-lonesome-one-on-a-rainy-day/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [There are happy blues, sad blues, lonesome blues, red-hot blues, mad blues, and loving blues. Blues is a testimony to the fullness of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-harris/there-are-happy-blues-sad-blues-lonesome-blues-red-hot-blues-mad/) [Corey Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-harris/) > [Please God, please suh, don't let him love nobody else but me. Maybe Ah'm is uh fool, Lawd, lak dey say, but Lawd, Ah…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/please-god-please-suh-don-t-let-him-love-nobody-else-but-me-maybe-ah/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More Conditions quotes > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Most celebrated men live in a condition of prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/most-celebrated-men-live-in-a-condition-of-prostitution/) [Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. 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It knows and it teaches that it is impossible to find two events that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-bloch/history-is-in-its-essentials-the-science-of-change-it-knows-and-it/) [Marc Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-bloch/) > [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [It clearly follows that to make men moral it is necessary to make their social environment moral. And that can be done in only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/it-clearly-follows-that-to-make-men-moral-it-is-necessary-to-make/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [Importunity is a condition of prayer. We are to press the matter, not with vain repetitions, but with urgent repetitions. We repeat, not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/importunity-is-a-condition-of-prayer-we-are-to-press-the-matter-not/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [The so-called evils are evils only in relation to a certain thing, and that which is evil in relation to a certain existing thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/the-so-called-evils-are-evils-only-in-relation-to-a-certain-thing-and/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [Experiences in order to be educative must lead out into an expanding world of subject matter, a subject matter of facts or information and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/experiences-in-order-to-be-educative-must-lead-out-into-an-expanding/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [A social group can, indeed must, already exercise 'leadership' before winning governmental power (this is indeed one of the principal conditions for the winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-gramsci/a-social-group-can-indeed-must-already-exercise-leadership-before/) [Antonio Gramsci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-gramsci/) > [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. 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