---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Isn't hot coffee a wonderful thing? How…"
description: "\"“Isn't hot coffee a wonderful thing? How did people get along before it was invented?”\" — Betty Smith"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/betty-smith-1012_coffee_isn-t-hot-coffee-a-wonderful-thing-how-d_2440581.png"
---

#  Isn't hot coffee a wonderful thing? How did people get…

![“Isn't hot coffee a wonderful thing? How did people get along before it was invented?” quote by Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/betty-smith-1012_coffee_isn-t-hot-coffee-a-wonderful-thing-how-d_2440581.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/betty-smith-1012_coffee_isn-t-hot-coffee-a-wonderful-thing-how-d_2440581.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/betty-smith-1012_coffee_isn-t-hot-coffee-a-wonderful-thing-how-d_2440581.png)

> ““Isn't hot coffee a wonderful thing? How did people get along before it was invented?””

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker marvels at coffee’s comfort, questioning how people survived without it, highlighting how modern conveniences become essential.

**In simple terms:** Coffee feels essential now, but it’s a recent invention.

Key Takeaway

Appreciate modern conveniences.

Themes

comfort innovation everyday life history dependence

Mood

nostalgic lighthearted inquisitive

Type

humorous observational

When to use this quote

- daily routine
- historical comparison
- technology discussion
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

cultural adaptation technology adoption habit formation

Questions to Reflect On

- What modern comfort would we miss today?
- How do we adapt to new inventions?

A Different Perspective

The quote humorously overlooks past coping mechanisms.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee/)

## Related quotes

> [The truth is nobody can own anything. That was an unheard-of concept among indigenous people. We invented that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shadyac/the-truth-is-nobody-can-own-anything-that-was-an-unheard-of-concept/)

[Tom Shadyac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shadyac/)

> [“The Chinese people had invented the compass, paper, the printing press, gunpowder, the seismograph, the crossbow, and the umbrella; they had sailed to Africa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hessler/the-chinese-people-had-invented-the-compass-paper-the-printing-press/)

[Peter Hessler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hessler/)

> [Destiny is something people invented... because they can't stand the fact that everything that happens is the result of their choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-the-apostle/destiny-is-something-people-invented-because-they-can-t-stand-the/)

[John the Apostle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-the-apostle/)

> [I used to think of that line in Allen Ginsberg's 'Howl', about the 'sad cup of coffee'.. ..I have had cold coffee and hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/i-used-to-think-of-that-line-in-allen-ginsberg-s-howl-about-the-sad/)

[Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/)

> [“Hot coffee is like a warm-blooded man. They both give you the courage to face a new day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xiaolu-guo/hot-coffee-is-like-a-warm-blooded-man-they-both-give-you-the-courage/)

[Xiaolu Guo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xiaolu-guo/)

> [As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-soon-as-you-sit-down-to-a-cup-of-hot-coffee-your-boss-will-ask-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Your habit of drinking hot coffee during the heat wave has us worried you're trying to kill yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-habit-of-drinking-hot-coffee-during-the-heat-wave-has-us-worried/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm just cool as a hot coffee..!! ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-just-cool-as-a-hot-coffee/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“A bright afternoon, blue sky, and hot coffee. I take a sip from my second cup, look up at the sky, and smile. Nobody’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuwan-thapaliya/a-bright-afternoon-blue-sky-and-hot-coffee-i-take-a-sip-from-my/)

[Bhuwan Thapaliya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuwan-thapaliya/)

> [“You've had hot coffee before, and in the hands of a skilled maker, coffee can be amazing. But the fact is that coffee is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ve-had-hot-coffee-before-and-in-the-hands-of-a-skilled-maker/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“When you pour cold milk into hot coffee, for example, your beverage appears to march irreversibly toward its own personal heat death goal, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-tegmark/when-you-pour-cold-milk-into-hot-coffee-for-example-your-beverage/)

[Max Tegmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-tegmark/)

> [Just like a cup of hot coffee, love can scorch if it is too hot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/just-like-a-cup-of-hot-coffee-love-can-scorch-if-it-is-too-hot/)

[Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/)

> [“Does it make any sense if you say hot coffee is hot, Isn't it the least you wish for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-love-the-way-you-love-me/does-it-make-any-sense-if-you-say-hot-coffee-is-hot-isn-t-it-the/)

[I Love the way you love me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-love-the-way-you-love-me/)

> [“His dark eyes were hot. "Drink the coffee," he growled. Coffee. Right. She had to hold the cup with both hands, otherwise she'd spill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-marie-rice/his-dark-eyes-were-hot-drink-the-coffee-he-growled-coffee-right-she/)

[Lisa Marie Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-marie-rice/)

> [The way I think we were living is an invention. The truth is nobody can own anything. That was an unheard-of concept among indigenous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shadyac/the-way-i-think-we-were-living-is-an-invention-the-truth-is-nobody/)

[Tom Shadyac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shadyac/)

## More by Betty Smith

> [“Yes, when I get big and have my own home, no plush chairs and lace curtains for me. And no rubber plants. I'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/yes-when-i-get-big-and-have-my-own-home-no-plush-chairs-and-lace/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [“Several times that day, the name or thought of Papa had come up. And each time, Francie had felt a flash of tenderness instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/several-times-that-day-the-name-or-thought-of-papa-had-come-up-and/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [As long as one can suffer, one is living…live and suffer until life is gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/as-long-as-one-can-suffer-one-is-living-live-and-suffer-until-life-is/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [“Sissy told them they were way behind the times; that midwives were things of the past. Besides, she informed them proudly, she had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/sissy-told-them-they-were-way-behind-the-times-that-midwives-were/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [“Why, Mrs McGarrity's all right. Mr McGarrity's all right, too. Only I guess they aren't all right to each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/why-mrs-mcgarrity-s-all-right-mr-mcgarrity-s-all-right-too-only-i/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [“I drink because I don't stand a chance and I know it. I couldn't drive a truck and I couldn't get on the cops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/i-drink-because-i-don-t-stand-a-chance-and-i-know-it-i-couldn-t-drive/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [“Pipe dreams, he thought to himself, even while he was telling her about his dream winnings. But oh, how wonderful, he thought, if everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/pipe-dreams-he-thought-to-himself-even-while-he-was-telling-her-about/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [“Who wants to die? Everything struggles to live. Look at that tree growing up there out of that grating. It gets no sun, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/who-wants-to-die-everything-struggles-to-live-look-at-that-tree/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [It takes a lot of doing to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/it-takes-a-lot-of-doing-to-die/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [“She sat in the sunshine watching the life on the street and guarding within herself, her own mystery of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/she-sat-in-the-sunshine-watching-the-life-on-the-street-and-guarding/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [...the reading, the observing, the living from day to day. It was something that had been born into her and her only - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/the-reading-the-observing-the-living-from-day-to-day-it-was-something/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [People always think that happiness is a faraway thing … something complicated and hard to get. Yet, what little things can make it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/people-always-think-that-happiness-is-a-faraway-thing-something/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [“Hildy O’Dair is old for her age,” she thought. “It’s like powder was sprinkled on her yellow hair. But she’s not much older than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/hildy-o-dair-is-old-for-her-age-she-thought-it-s-like-powder-was/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [“One day they’re babies in buggies and the next day they’re in here taking picks. Kids grow up quick in this neighborhood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/one-day-they-re-babies-in-buggies-and-the-next-day-they-re-in-here/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [“If she never had any lovers, she kicks herself around when the change comes, thinking of all the fun she could have had, didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/if-she-never-had-any-lovers-she-kicks-herself-around-when-the-change/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

[Explore all 306 Betty Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

## More Coffee quotes

> [I would drink gallons of coffee a day. Even now, off caffeine, I talk faster than anyone you've ever met. I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/)

[Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/)

> [I had developed a relationship with one of the anti-abortion sidewalk counselors who stood in front of my facility. We talked regularly through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/i-had-developed-a-relationship-with-one-of-the-anti-abortion-sidewalk/)

[Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/)

> [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/)

[Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/)

> [I like to sit down, relax, have a cup of coffee on the terrace and read a book. I like to travel the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-vos/i-like-to-sit-down-relax-have-a-cup-of-coffee-on-the-terrace-and-read/)

[Marianne Vos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-vos/)

> [White Coffee Really Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-saicha/white-coffee-really-helps/)

[Anwar Saicha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-saicha/)

> [“The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/the-whole-purpose-of-places-like-starbucks-is-for-people-with-no/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/)

[Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/)

> [Coffee and tobacco are complete repose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/coffee-and-tobacco-are-complete-repose/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/)

[Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/)

> [I spend a lot of time loathing the sentences that I put down on the page. Once I'm past that phase, it doesn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-loathing-the-sentences-that-i-put-down-on-the/)

[Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/)

> [If Japanese tea 'stands,' it acquires a coarse bitterness and an unwholesome astringency. Milk and sugar are not used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-bird/if-japanese-tea-stands-it-acquires-a-coarse-bitterness-and-an/)

[Isabella Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-bird/)

> [...it isn't foolish or wicked to enjoy. Wickedness is hurting people on purpose. I love what you are and who you are and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/it-isn-t-foolish-or-wicked-to-enjoy-wickedness-is-hurting-people-on/)

[John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/)

> [I don't typically drink coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cavallari/i-don-t-typically-drink-coffee/)

[Kristin Cavallari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cavallari/)

> [I put hibiscus flower in every cup of tea I have. It's sweet, sexy, and cleansing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/i-put-hibiscus-flower-in-every-cup-of-tea-i-have-it-s-sweet-sexy-and/)

[Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/)

> [“That is why I love Starbucks. It doesn't matter how much money you have or what social world you're from, chances are you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyra-davis/that-is-why-i-love-starbucks-it-doesn-t-matter-how-much-money-you/)

[Kyra Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyra-davis/)

[Browse all 3,625 Coffee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Isn't hot coffee a wonderful thing? How did people get along before it was invented?”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Betty Smith"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/isn-t-hot-coffee-a-wonderful-thing-how-did-people-get-along-before-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Coffee"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/isn-t-hot-coffee-a-wonderful-thing-how-did-people-get-along-before-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/betty-smith-1012_coffee_isn-t-hot-coffee-a-wonderful-thing-how-d_2440581.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/betty-smith-1012_coffee_isn-t-hot-coffee-a-wonderful-thing-how-d_2440581.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/betty-smith-1012_coffee_isn-t-hot-coffee-a-wonderful-thing-how-d_2440581.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Isn't hot coffee a wonderful thing? How did people get along before it was invented?” — Betty Smith",
                "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": "Betty Smith",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Isn't hot coffee a wonderful thing?...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/isn-t-hot-coffee-a-wonderful-thing-how-did-people-get-along-before-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/isn-t-hot-coffee-a-wonderful-thing-how-did-people-get-along-before-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
