--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He (William Howard Taft) had little…" description: "\"He (William Howard Taft) had little patience with the unconscious arrogance of conscious wealth and financial success.\" — Doris Kearns Goodwin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_arrogance_he-william-howard-taft-had-little-patien_1199778.png" --- # He (William Howard Taft) had little patience with the… ![“He (William Howard Taft) had little patience with the unconscious arrogance of conscious wealth and financial success.” quote by Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_arrogance_he-william-howard-taft-had-little-patien_1199778.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_arrogance_he-william-howard-taft-had-little-patien_1199778.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_arrogance_he-william-howard-taft-had-little-patien_1199778.png) > “He (William Howard Taft) had little patience with the unconscious arrogance of conscious wealth and financial success.” [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Taft was impatient with the arrogant confidence of wealthy, successful individuals who relied on conscious power rather than humility. **In simple terms:** Taft disliked the smugness of rich, successful people. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility over pride in success. Themes politics leadership social class Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical historical When to use this quote - government - business negotiations - public speaking Key Concepts arrogance wealth humility Questions to Reflect On - How does wealth affect one's worldview? - Can humility be taught in elite circles? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic advantages that enable wealth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrogance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) [Financial success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/financial-success/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taft/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [William Howard Taft, who he embarrassed in these congressional hearings, attacks him as an emotionalist and a socialist and a cosmopolitan in terms that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-rosen/william-howard-taft-who-he-embarrassed-in-these-congressional/) [Jeffrey Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-rosen/) > [ Salvador \[Dali\] was brought up in Spain, a country colored by the legends of Hannibal, El Greco, and Cervantes. I was brought up in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/salvador-dali-was-brought-up-in-spain-a-country-colored-by-the/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [. . .a sense of humor can be a great help-particularly a sense of humor about (oneself). William Howard Taft joked about his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/a-sense-of-humor-can-be-a-great-help-particularly-a-sense-of-humor/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“His intentions were pure, at least he thought so; he wanted to get the Indians to medical care quickly. But the more he thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-wallace/his-intentions-were-pure-at-least-he-thought-so-he-wanted-to-get-the/) [Scott Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-wallace/) > [“Roosevelt and Root deputized Taft to inform the Holy See that the United States would purchase the lands for a fair price so long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/roosevelt-and-root-deputized-taft-to-inform-the-holy-see-that-the/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“Wherever a tension needed the solvent of good-will, or friction the oil of benevolence; wherever suspicion needed the antidote of frankness, or wounded pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/wherever-a-tension-needed-the-solvent-of-good-will-or-friction-the/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Taft was Roosevelt's handpicked successor. I didn't know how deep the friendship was between the two men until I read their almost four hundred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/taft-was-roosevelt-s-handpicked-successor-i-didn-t-know-how-deep-the/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Ohio claims they are due a president as they haven't had one since Taft. Look at the United States, they have not had one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/ohio-claims-they-are-due-a-president-as-they-haven-t-had-one-since/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [ Indeed, only one Supreme Court justice in history, one Horace Lurton, nominated by President \[John\] Taft, had more federal appeals court experience \[than Samuel… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kyl/indeed-only-one-supreme-court-justice-in-history-one-horace-lurton/) [Jon Kyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kyl/) > [The truth is, the whole administration under Roosevelt was demoralized by the system of dealing directly with subordinates. It wasobviated in the State Department…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-truth-is-the-whole-administration-under-roosevelt-was-demoralized/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) > [“the same time, gangsters seized on what they saw as the perfect sales opportunity. “The business of manufacturing alcohol, liquor and beer will go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/the-same-time-gangsters-seized-on-what-they-saw-as-the-perfect-sales/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [“His experience on the bench was crucial in forming Taft's political vision. He disliked the rough and tumble of partisanship; he much preferred the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-l-gould/his-experience-on-the-bench-was-crucial-in-forming-taft-s-political/) Lewis L. Gould > [That the government's power under the Taft-Hartley Act to stop a strike by injunction so clearly strengthens the hand of the employer-even though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/that-the-government-s-power-under-the-taft-hartley-act-to-stop-a/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [I wouldn't have supported invoking Taft-Hartley to help George Bush end a strike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-de-leon/i-wouldn-t-have-supported-invoking-taft-hartley-to-help-george-bush/) [Kevin de Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-de-leon/) > [“The consumption of food was a sacrament of success. A man who carried a great stomach before him was thought to be in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/the-consumption-of-food-was-a-sacrament-of-success-a-man-who-carried/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) ## More by Doris Kearns Goodwin > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [What I think I've learned is that you're never going to get it all right, and you can't obsess about having a fact wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/what-i-think-i-ve-learned-is-that-you-re-never-going-to-get-it-all/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [I wish we could go back to the time when the private lives of our public figures were relevant only if they directly affected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-wish-we-could-go-back-to-the-time-when-the-private-lives-of-our/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [People will love him (Theodore Roosevelt) for the enemies he has made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/people-will-love-him-theodore-roosevelt-for-the-enemies-he-has-made/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“This extreme treatment was among the proliferating regimens developed in response to the stunning increase in nervous disorders diagnosed around the turn of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/this-extreme-treatment-was-among-the-proliferating-regimens-developed/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“I could carve out of a banana a judge with more backbone than that,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-could-carve-out-of-a-banana-a-judge-with-more-backbone-than-that/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“And Lincoln, as would be evidenced throughout his presidency, was a master of timing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/and-lincoln-as-would-be-evidenced-throughout-his-presidency-was-a/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“Don’t hit till you have to; but, when you do hit, hit hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/don-t-hit-till-you-have-to-but-when-you-do-hit-hit-hard/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“After ministering each day to the hundreds of young men who had endured ghastly wounds, submitted to amputations without anesthesia, and often died without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/after-ministering-each-day-to-the-hundreds-of-young-men-who-had/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [The value that I found in interviewing was for an educational experience, just to know that history itself is subjective, that you can't say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/the-value-that-i-found-in-interviewing-was-for-an-educational/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Excitement about things became a habit, a part of my personality, and the expectation that I should enjoy new experiences often engendered the enjoyment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/excitement-about-things-became-a-habit-a-part-of-my-personality-and/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“All the cartoonists at heart liked him, and there was seldom or never anything bitter or really unfriendly in their portrayals of him; they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/all-the-cartoonists-at-heart-liked-him-and-there-was-seldom-or-never/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [I think that's still what the American Dream means: that with perseverance, with hard work, you can become something, that the classes won't prevent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-think-that-s-still-what-the-american-dream-means-that-with/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [I shall always be grateful for this curious love of history, allowing me to spend a lifetime looking back into the past, allowing me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-shall-always-be-grateful-for-this-curious-love-of-history-allowing/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“Simon Cameron: “I loved my brother, as only the poor and lonely can love those with whom they have toiled and struggled up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/simon-cameron-i-loved-my-brother-as-only-the-poor-and-lonely-can-love/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) [Explore all 196 Doris Kearns Goodwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) ## More Arrogance quotes > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/) [Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/) > [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/) [Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/) > [What you see of me on TV and all of that, that is me - that's truly how I feel. I'm just multiplying it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-corbin/what-you-see-of-me-on-tv-and-all-of-that-that-is-me-that-s-truly-how/) [Baron Corbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-corbin/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Never mistake someones quietness for their arrogance as you can surely miss out on an awsome personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-mistake-someones-quietness-for-their-arrogance-as-you-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/most-of-us-think-of-pride-as-self-centeredness-conceit-boastfulness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“I was consumed by a selfishness and arrogance that I didn't dare let go of until I found a new persona to hide behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/i-was-consumed-by-a-selfishness-and-arrogance-that-i-didn-t-dare-let/) [Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/) > [Arrogance is the outgrowth of prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/arrogance-is-the-outgrowth-of-prosperity/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [Timing and arrogance are decisive factors in the successful use of talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/timing-and-arrogance-are-decisive-factors-in-the-successful-use-of/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) > [Closed some doors, not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they no longer lead somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenz-jeffrey/closed-some-doors-not-because-of-pride-incapacity-or-arrogance-but/) [Frenz Jeffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenz-jeffrey/) > [My success isn't a result of arrogance - it's a result of belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcgregor/my-success-isn-t-a-result-of-arrogance-it-s-a-result-of-belief/) [Conor McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcgregor/) > [“...a great man who is vicious will only be a great doer of evil, and a rich man who is not liberal will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cervantes/a-great-man-who-is-vicious-will-only-be-a-great-doer-of-evil-and-a/) Miguel Cervantes > [An increasing number of people are growing uncomfortable with the gulf between the world's rich and the poor. Ostentatiously splashing your money around simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalle-lasn/an-increasing-number-of-people-are-growing-uncomfortable-with-the/) [Kalle Lasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalle-lasn/) [Browse all 1,418 Arrogance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He (William Howard Taft) had little patience with the unconscious arrogance of conscious wealth and financial success.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Doris Kearns Goodwin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/he-william-howard-taft-had-little-patience-with-the-unconscious/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arrogance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/he-william-howard-taft-had-little-patience-with-the-unconscious/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_arrogance_he-william-howard-taft-had-little-patien_1199778.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_arrogance_he-william-howard-taft-had-little-patien_1199778.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_arrogance_he-william-howard-taft-had-little-patien_1199778.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He (William Howard Taft) had little patience with the unconscious arrogance of conscious wealth and…” — Doris Kearns Goodwin", "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": "Doris Kearns Goodwin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He (William Howard Taft) had little...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/he-william-howard-taft-had-little-patience-with-the-unconscious/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/he-william-howard-taft-had-little-patience-with-the-unconscious/#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 } } ] } ```