--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The materials are indifferent, but the…" description: "\"The materials are indifferent, but the use we make of them is not a matter of indifference.\" — Epictetus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/epictetus-413_indifference_the-materials-are-indifferent-but-the-us_1758475.jpg" --- # The materials are indifferent, but the use we make of them… ![“The materials are indifferent, but the use we make of them is not a matter of indifference.” quote by Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/epictetus-413_indifference_the-materials-are-indifferent-but-the-us_1758475.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/epictetus-413_indifference_the-materials-are-indifferent-but-the-us_1758475.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/epictetus-413_indifference_the-materials-are-indifferent-but-the-us_1758475.jpg) > “The materials are indifferent, but the use we make of them is not a matter of indifference.” [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Materials themselves are neutral; it is our usage that gives them moral weight. **In simple terms:** Objects are indifferent; our actions matter. Key Takeaway Act responsibly with what you have. Themes ethics agency materialism Mood reflective philosophical Type quote When to use this quote - resource management - environmental stewardship - design - technology Key Concepts stoicism responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you choose to use resources? - What values guide your actions? A Different Perspective Assumes agency over all materials, which may be limited. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) ## Related quotes > [I have no particular desire to live. I have no particular desire to be killed. It is a matter of indifference to me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-fish/i-have-no-particular-desire-to-live-i-have-no-particular-desire-to-be/) [Albert Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-fish/) > [“for us who understand life, figures are a matter of indifference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/for-us-who-understand-life-figures-are-a-matter-of-indifference/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [But certainly, for us who understand life, figures are a matter of indifference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/but-certainly-for-us-who-understand-life-figures-are-a-matter-of/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“What opinions the masses hold, or do not hold, is looked on as a matter of indifference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/what-opinions-the-masses-hold-or-do-not-hold-is-looked-on-as-a-matter/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [What opinions the masses hold, or do not hold, is looked upon as a matter of indifference. They can be granted intellectual liberty becasue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/what-opinions-the-masses-hold-or-do-not-hold-is-looked-upon-as-a/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“What opinions the masses hold, or do not hold, is looked on as a matter of indifference. They”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/what-opinions-the-masses-hold-or-do-not-hold-is-looked-on-as-a-matter-2/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I do my intellectual work inside myself, and once I am with my fellow creatures it is more or less a matter of indifference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/i-do-my-intellectual-work-inside-myself-and-once-i-am-with-my-fellow/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [I am a man, and nothing that concerns a man do I deem a matter of indifference to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/i-am-a-man-and-nothing-that-concerns-a-man-do-i-deem-a-matter-of/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [It is certainly not a matter of indifference whether I learn something without effort or finally arrive at it myself through my system of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/it-is-certainly-not-a-matter-of-indifference-whether-i-learn/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [Killing myself was a matter of such indifference to me that I felt like waiting for a moment when it would make some difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/killing-myself-was-a-matter-of-such-indifference-to-me-that-i-felt/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [A wider of more altruistic attitude is very relevant in today's world. If we look at the situation from various angles, such as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/a-wider-of-more-altruistic-attitude-is-very-relevant-in-today-s-world/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [To have that sense of one's intrinsic worth which constitutes self-respect is potentially to have everything: the ability to discriminate, to love and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/to-have-that-sense-of-one-s-intrinsic-worth-which-constitutes-self/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [Indifference is more truly the opposite of love than hate is, for we can both love and hate the same person at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/indifference-is-more-truly-the-opposite-of-love-than-hate-is-for-we/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“When I pretended to be precocious, people started the rumor that I was precocious. When I acted like an idler, rumor had it I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/when-i-pretended-to-be-precocious-people-started-the-rumor-that-i-was/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [“the fear of being indifferent is not the same as indifference itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-landweber/the-fear-of-being-indifferent-is-not-the-same-as-indifference-itself/) Michael Landweber ## More by Epictetus > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/practice-yourself-for-heaven-s-sake-in-little-things-and-then-proceed/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Do not laugh much or often or unrestrainedly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/do-not-laugh-much-or-often-or-unrestrainedly/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [When men are unhappy, they do not imagine they can ever cease to be so; and when some calamity has fallen on them, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/when-men-are-unhappy-they-do-not-imagine-they-can-ever-cease-to-be-so/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-not-disturbed-by-what-happens-to-us-but-by-our-thoughts-about/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Don't be prideful with any excellence that is not your own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/don-t-be-prideful-with-any-excellence-that-is-not-your-own/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [You know yourself what you are worth in your own eyes; and at what price you will sell yourself. For men sell themselves at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/you-know-yourself-what-you-are-worth-in-your-own-eyes-and-at-what/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; but flatterers mar the soul of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/crows-pick-out-the-eyes-of-the-dead-when-the-dead-have-no-longer-need/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [As a man, casting off worn out garments taketh new ones, so the dweller in the body, entereth into ones that are new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/as-a-man-casting-off-worn-out-garments-taketh-new-ones-so-the-dweller/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [If you would improve, submit to be considered wihout sense and foolish with respect to externals. Wish to be considered to know nothing; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/if-you-would-improve-submit-to-be-considered-wihout-sense-and-foolish/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“For it is not death or pain that is to be feared, but the fear of pain or death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/for-it-is-not-death-or-pain-that-is-to-be-feared-but-the-fear-of-pain/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [What else can I do, a lame old man, but sing hymns to God? If I were a nightingale, I would do the nightingale's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/what-else-can-i-do-a-lame-old-man-but-sing-hymns-to-god-if-i-were-a/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [People are disturbed not by things, but by the view they take of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them-2/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/small-minded-people-blame-others-average-people-blame-themselves-the/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/all-philosophy-lies-in-two-words-sustain-and-abstain/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) [Explore all 577 Epictetus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## More Indifference quotes > [Violence is not necessary to destroy a civilization. Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/violence-is-not-necessary-to-destroy-a-civilization-each-civilization/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [“Courage did not come from the need to survive, or from a brute indifference inherited from someone else, but from a driving need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/courage-did-not-come-from-the-need-to-survive-or-from-a-brute/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [Indifference is harder to fight than hostility, and there is nothing that kills an agitation like having everybody admit that it is fundamentally right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-eastman/indifference-is-harder-to-fight-than-hostility-and-there-is-nothing/) [Crystal Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-eastman/) > [Love and hate, despite their polar opposites, are both feelings that are induced by passion. I can handle that. It's the indifference I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/love-and-hate-despite-their-polar-opposites-are-both-feelings-that/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I wasn't sure which I appreciated less—the insincere concern or the genuine indifference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-graham/i-wasn-t-sure-which-i-appreciated-less-the-insincere-concern-or-the/) Arthur Graham > [If I were entering adulthood now instead of in the environment of fifty years ago, I would choose a career that kept me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/if-i-were-entering-adulthood-now-instead-of-in-the-environment-of/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [Desire is half of life, indifference is half of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/desire-is-half-of-life-indifference-is-half-of-death/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What's wrong with death sir? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can't we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/what-s-wrong-with-death-sir-what-are-we-so-mortally-afraid-of-why-can/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I'm not very interested in people. I recognize it in myself - there is a basic indifference toward people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-m-not-very-interested-in-people-i-recognize-it-in-myself-there-is-a/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [Adorn thyself with simplicity and with indifference towards the things which lie between virtue and vice. Love mankind. Follow God. The poet says that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/adorn-thyself-with-simplicity-and-with-indifference-towards-the/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [One's own troubles can be borne with fortitude; only a monster of indifference can bear the sufferings of others with fortitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ertz/one-s-own-troubles-can-be-borne-with-fortitude-only-a-monster-of/) [Susan Ertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ertz/) > [Many men without morals have attacked religion because it was contrary to their inclinations. Many wise men have despised it because it seemed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-d-holbach/many-men-without-morals-have-attacked-religion-because-it-was/) [Baron d'Holbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-d-holbach/) > [Indifference to one's own faith is no proof of tolerance. Loyalty to one's own is part of a larger loyalty to faith generally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abba-hillel-silver/indifference-to-one-s-own-faith-is-no-proof-of-tolerance-loyalty-to/) Abba Hillel Silver > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) [Browse all 1,128 Indifference quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The materials are indifferent, but the use we make of them is not a matter of indifference.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Epictetus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/the-materials-are-indifferent-but-the-use-we-make-of-them-is-not-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Indifference" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/the-materials-are-indifferent-but-the-use-we-make-of-them-is-not-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/epictetus-413_indifference_the-materials-are-indifferent-but-the-us_1758475.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/epictetus-413_indifference_the-materials-are-indifferent-but-the-us_1758475.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/epictetus-413_indifference_the-materials-are-indifferent-but-the-us_1758475.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The materials are indifferent, but the use we make of them is not a matter of indifference.” — Epictetus", "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": "Epictetus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The materials are indifferent, but the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/the-materials-are-indifferent-but-the-use-we-make-of-them-is-not-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/the-materials-are-indifferent-but-the-use-we-make-of-them-is-not-a/#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 } } ] } ```