--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poverty and loneliness could be seen as a…" description: "\"Poverty and loneliness could be seen as a liberation from strivings to become rich and popular.\" — Donald Richie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/donald-richie-26818_aesthetics_poverty-and-loneliness-could-be-seen-as_2573140.jpg" --- # Poverty and loneliness could be seen as a liberation from… ![“Poverty and loneliness could be seen as a liberation from strivings to become rich and popular.” quote by Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/donald-richie-26818_aesthetics_poverty-and-loneliness-could-be-seen-as_2573140.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/donald-richie-26818_aesthetics_poverty-and-loneliness-could-be-seen-as_2573140.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/donald-richie-26818_aesthetics_poverty-and-loneliness-could-be-seen-as_2573140.jpg) > “Poverty and loneliness could be seen as a liberation from strivings to become rich and popular.” [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests poverty and loneliness can free one from the pursuit of wealth and fame. **In simple terms:** Poverty may liberate from material ambitions. Key Takeaway Consider freedom beyond material goals. Themes philosophy social critique freedom Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - personal growth - social policy - mental health - spiritual practice Key Concepts existentialism minimalism Questions to Reflect On - Is liberation possible without basic security? - How does society view poverty? A Different Perspective Idealizing hardship can ignore real suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aesthetics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetics/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Become rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become-rich/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Japan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japan/) [Liberation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberation/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) ## Related quotes > [“we sometimes fail to recognize the signs of poverty, loneliness, grief, fear, and desolation in our own city, our own village, or our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/we-sometimes-fail-to-recognize-the-signs-of-poverty-loneliness-grief/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“I'm not that bad,” he said. “I'm rich, popular. I have a sense of humor. I'm good looking, and not to mention I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/i-m-not-that-bad-he-said-i-m-rich-popular-i-have-a-sense-of-humor-i-m-2/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [When you are depressed, hurting inside, or feeling down, no one cares, but when you get famous, rich, and popular, everyone is your friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-are-depressed-hurting-inside-or-feeling-down-no-one-cares/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm not that bad,” he said. “I'm rich, popular. I have a sense of humor. I'm good looking, and not to mention I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/i-m-not-that-bad-he-said-i-m-rich-popular-i-have-a-sense-of-humor-i-m/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty—it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There’s a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/the-poverty-in-the-west-is-a-different-kind-of-poverty-it-is-not-only/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-terrible-poverty-is-loneliness-and-the-feeling-of-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/the-greatest-disease-in-the-west-today-is-not-tb-or-leprosy-it-is/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [For those that love the world serve it in action, Grow rich, popular, and full of influence; And should they paint or write still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/for-those-that-love-the-world-serve-it-in-action-grow-rich-popular/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [To become rich in no time is very easy. The only thing you have to do is to look at those who are poorer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/to-become-rich-in-no-time-is-very-easy-the-only-thing-you-have-to-do/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“If you care about other people, that's now a very dangerous idea. If you care about other people, you might try to organize to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-care-about-other-people-that-s-now-a-very-dangerous-idea-if/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [You don't do an experimental film to become rich, so the people who are involved are involved because they enjoy the creative aspect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-rossellini/you-don-t-do-an-experimental-film-to-become-rich-so-the-people-who/) [Isabella Rossellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-rossellini/) > [There are people who want to become rich; they become rich. If you persist you can fulfill any kind of stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/there-are-people-who-want-to-become-rich-they-become-rich-if-you/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“A country with secure property rights, scientific inquiry and technological innovation will become richer. But, since division of labour is limited by the size…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-wolf/a-country-with-secure-property-rights-scientific-inquiry-and/) [Martin Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-wolf/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [The poor think they will be happy when they become rich. The rich think they will be happy when they are rid of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-poor-think-they-will-be-happy-when-they-become-rich-the-rich/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## More by Donald Richie > [“Leo Rubinfein over to ask questions for his book. He asked me what I most regretted, having lived half a century here, and witnessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/leo-rubinfein-over-to-ask-questions-for-his-book-he-asked-me-what-i/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“When I started to learn how to read, I discovered the same kind of power. I could create an environment that I didn't have,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/when-i-started-to-learn-how-to-read-i-discovered-the-same-kind-of/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“What do I want to be when I grow up? An attractive role would be that of the bunjin. He is the Japanese scholar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/what-do-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up-an-attractive-role-would-be-that/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“In the same way both Lincoln and the Japanese regard people. These are also a kind of currency. A man is worth what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/in-the-same-way-both-lincoln-and-the-japanese-regard-people-these-are/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“As always, so polite that he is at the beginning distant, and yet always determined. This is because he has uses for us all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/as-always-so-polite-that-he-is-at-the-beginning-distant-and-yet/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [Midlife crisis begins sometime in your 40s, when you look at your life and think, 'Is this all?' And it ends about 10 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/midlife-crisis-begins-sometime-in-your-40s-when-you-look-at-your-life/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“What happened was that sometimes I was, from a young age, put in the theater to watch movies because they kept me quiet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/what-happened-was-that-sometimes-i-was-from-a-young-age-put-in-the/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“Having lived most of my life in the most crowded city in the world, I have become used to this constant physical proximity. Wherever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/having-lived-most-of-my-life-in-the-most-crowded-city-in-the-world-i/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“Late, going home, I pass a group of squatting high schoolers. One of the boys, obviously seeking to impress the girls, says that foreigners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/late-going-home-i-pass-a-group-of-squatting-high-schoolers-one-of-the/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“In the bath the attitude toward sex is representative. No people have it more firmly in place. They are a bit puritanical sometimes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/in-the-bath-the-attitude-toward-sex-is-representative-no-people-have/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“Owen is utterly out of whatever closet he may once have been in. Is resident Concerned Gay Medical Personnel, or some such. This being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/owen-is-utterly-out-of-whatever-closet-he-may-once-have-been-in-is/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“Here we would notice that what we would call Japanese aesthetics (in contrast to Western aesthetics) is more concerned with process than with product,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/here-we-would-notice-that-what-we-would-call-japanese-aesthetics-in/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“As the economy collapses prices remain high. This is, I guess, very Japanese. In some other countries there would be at least a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/as-the-economy-collapses-prices-remain-high-this-is-i-guess-very/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [“Perhaps more than an American high school, Japan is like an English public school. You are supposed to learn, excel, and win athletic distinctions—not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/perhaps-more-than-an-american-high-school-japan-is-like-an-english/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) > [The distinction between East and West is that the Western novel is very organized, it's very logical, there's a logical progression, there's a chronological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/the-distinction-between-east-and-west-is-that-the-western-novel-is/) [Donald Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) [Explore all 21 Donald Richie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/) ## More Aesthetics quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [ Probably the high-watermark of \[Bob\] Dylan's career came after he plugged in his guitar ("Judas!" one fan shouted during a concert) and exploded American… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/probably-the-high-watermark-of-bob-dylan-s-career-came-after-he/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [Road cycling, especially up mountains. It's the heady mixture of endorphins and aesthetics that I love. My wife does it too, and being with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/road-cycling-especially-up-mountains-it-s-the-heady-mixture-of/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [“No man sings as beautifully as when his song is accompanied by a woman’s voice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/no-man-sings-as-beautifully-as-when-his-song-is-accompanied-by-a/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [ \[Alexei Nemov\] has the best feel for the aesthetics of the sport. He doesn't just do a skill; he makes it look gorgeous. Some… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-vidmar/alexei-nemov-has-the-best-feel-for-the-aesthetics-of-the-sport-he/) [Peter Vidmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-vidmar/) > [The great work of art is the complete banality, and the fault with most banalities is that they are not banal enough. Banality here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/the-great-work-of-art-is-the-complete-banality-and-the-fault-with/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [I find the aesthetics of the 20th century hopelessly barren.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-find-the-aesthetics-of-the-20th-century-hopelessly-barren/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [For it is a mad world and it will get madder if we allow the minorities, be they dwarf or giant, orangutan or dolphin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/for-it-is-a-mad-world-and-it-will-get-madder-if-we-allow-the/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We’re surrounded by anonymous, poorly made objects. It’s tempting to think it’s because the people who use them don’t care-just like the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/we-re-surrounded-by-anonymous-poorly-made-objects-it-s-tempting-to/) [Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/) > [After a certain high level of technical skill is achieved science and art tend to coalesce in aesthetics, plasticity, and form. The greatest scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/after-a-certain-high-level-of-technical-skill-is-achieved-science-and/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There's only so much you can do until you get on set and see the aesthetics of what you're dealing with. Then you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-urban/there-s-only-so-much-you-can-do-until-you-get-on-set-and-see-the/) [Karl Urban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-urban/) > [In our view the Olympic idea involves a strong physical culture supplemented on the one hand by mobility, what is so aptly called 'fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/in-our-view-the-olympic-idea-involves-a-strong-physical-culture/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) [Browse all 302 Aesthetics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Poverty and loneliness could be seen as a liberation from strivings to become rich and popular.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald Richie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/poverty-and-loneliness-could-be-seen-as-a-liberation-from-strivings/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aesthetics" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/poverty-and-loneliness-could-be-seen-as-a-liberation-from-strivings/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/donald-richie-26818_aesthetics_poverty-and-loneliness-could-be-seen-as_2573140.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/donald-richie-26818_aesthetics_poverty-and-loneliness-could-be-seen-as_2573140.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/donald-richie-26818_aesthetics_poverty-and-loneliness-could-be-seen-as_2573140.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Poverty and loneliness could be seen as a liberation from strivings to become rich and popular.” — Donald Richie", "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": "Donald Richie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-richie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Poverty and loneliness could be seen...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/poverty-and-loneliness-could-be-seen-as-a-liberation-from-strivings/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-richie/poverty-and-loneliness-could-be-seen-as-a-liberation-from-strivings/#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 } } ] } ```