--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The real \"haves\" are they who can acquire…" description: "\"The real \"haves\" are they who can acquire freedom, self-confidence, and even riches without depriving others of them. They acquire all of these by deve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af3/eric-hoffer-343_acquire_the-real-haves-are-they-who-can-acquire_2473593.jpg" --- # The real "haves" are they who can acquire freedom… ![“The real "haves" are they who can acquire freedom, self-confidence, and even riches without depriving others of them. They acquire all of these by developing and applying their potentialities. On the other hand, the real "have nots" are they who cannot have aught except by depriving others of it…” quote by Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af3/eric-hoffer-343_acquire_the-real-haves-are-they-who-can-acquire_2473593.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af3/eric-hoffer-343_acquire_the-real-haves-are-they-who-can-acquire_2473593.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af3/eric-hoffer-343_acquire_the-real-haves-are-they-who-can-acquire_2473593.jpg) > “The real "haves" are they who can acquire freedom, self-confidence, and even riches without depriving others of them. They acquire all of these by developing and applying their potentialities. On the other hand, the real "have nots" are they who cannot have aught except by depriving others of it. They can feel free only by diminishing the freedom of others, self-confident by spreading fear and dependence among others, and rich by making others poor.” [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts those who achieve freedom and wealth through personal development without harming others, with those who seek gain by exploiting others. **In simple terms:** Freedom and wealth come from self‑development, not exploitation. Key Takeaway Develop personal potential responsibly. Themes philosophy ethics social dynamics Mood analytical critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - community building - policy making - education Key Concepts self‑actualization resource allocation human dignity Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster environments that reward self‑development? - What safeguards prevent exploitation? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex socioeconomic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquire/) [Acquire Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquire-freedom-786319/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Dependence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependence/) [Depriving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depriving/) [Developing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/developing/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-self-521140/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Haves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/haves/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real Haves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-haves-786317/) [Real Nots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-nots-786318/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riches/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-confidence/) [Self confident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-confident/) ## Related quotes > [When a person places the proper value on freedom, there is nothing under the sun that he will not do to acquire that freedom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/when-a-person-places-the-proper-value-on-freedom-there-is-nothing/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Financial education is crucial to acquire our freedom but most people can't see how much money affects the way they think about life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/financial-education-is-crucial-to-acquire-our-freedom-but-most-people/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“Nowadays people can be divided into three classes - the haves the have-nots and the have-not-paid-for-what-they-haves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-wilson/nowadays-people-can-be-divided-into-three-classes-the-haves-the-have/) [Earl Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-wilson/) > [Today, there are three kinds of people: the haves, the have-nots, and the have-not-paid-for-what-they-haves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-wilson/today-there-are-three-kinds-of-people-the-haves-the-have-nots-and-the/) [Earl Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-wilson/) > [Don't Stress... The Could Haves...If it Should Have... It would Have...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-stress-the-could-haves-if-it-should-have-it-would-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The difference between the Haves and Have-nots? The will to sacrifice and to do what others won't… Very simple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/the-difference-between-the-haves-and-have-nots-the-will-to-sacrifice/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [If you have extremes of haves and have-nots where the gap keeps growing, the have-nots group together and create social disorder, as they can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-kemp/if-you-have-extremes-of-haves-and-have-nots-where-the-gap-keeps/) [Ross Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-kemp/) > [Another current catch-phrase is the complaint that the nations of the world are divided into 'haves' and the 'have-nots.' Observe that the 'haves' are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/another-current-catch-phrase-is-the-complaint-that-the-nations-of-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“Sneetches" was what we called the in-crowd at school, the haves as opposed to the have-nots. We named them from a Dr. Suess story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-hayes/sneetches-was-what-we-called-the-in-crowd-at-school-the-haves-as/) [Gwen Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-hayes/) > [“The haves and have-nots can often be traced back to the dids and did-nots. D. O. FLYNN”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/the-haves-and-have-nots-can-often-be-traced-back-to-the-dids-and-did/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [“because the haves of this world cannot quietly inherit what is coming to them; lest they be treated now as they once treated others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-the-haves-of-this-world-cannot-quietly-inherit-what-is-coming/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [And that is that we have never been: a nation of haves and have-nots. We are a nation of haves and soon-to-haves, of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/and-that-is-that-we-have-never-been-a-nation-of-haves-and-have-nots/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [“For the oppressors..to 'be' is to have and to be the class of the "haves".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/for-the-oppressors-to-be-is-to-have-and-to-be-the-class-of-the-haves/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [“Bling" is not an indication of riches. It is a product of value-based spending, to enrich the pockets of those outside of ones sphere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/bling-is-not-an-indication-of-riches-it-is-a-product-of-value-based/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [I could HAVE, I should HAVE and I would HAVE don't count, but I HAVES do count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/i-could-have-i-should-have-and-i-would-have-don-t-count-but-i-haves/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) ## More by Eric Hoffer > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/we-lie-the-loudest-when-we-lie-to-ourselves/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Our originality shows itself most strikingly not in what we wholly originate but in what we do with that which we borrow from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/our-originality-shows-itself-most-strikingly-not-in-what-we-wholly/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The creative mind is the playful mind. Philosophy is the play and dance of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-creative-mind-is-the-playful-mind-philosophy-is-the-play-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [It is also plausible that those movements with the greatest inner contradiction and between profession and practice - that is to say with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-also-plausible-that-those-movements-with-the-greatest-inner/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The best part of the art of living is to know how to grow old gracefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-best-part-of-the-art-of-living-is-to-know-how-to-grow-old/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“In the alchemy of man's soul almost all noble attributes--courage, honor, love, hope, faith, duty, loyalty, etc.--can be transmuted into ruthlessness. Compassion alone stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/in-the-alchemy-of-man-s-soul-almost-all-noble-attributes-courage/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The act of self-denial seems to confer on us the right to be harsh and merciless toward others. The impression somehow prevails that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-act-of-self-denial-seems-to-confer-on-us-the-right-to-be-harsh/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A nation without dregs and malcontents, is orderly, decent, peaceful and pleasant, but perhaps without the seed of things to come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-nation-without-dregs-and-malcontents-is-orderly-decent-peaceful-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/compassion-alone-stands-apart-from-the-continuous-traffic-between/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A war is not won if the defeated enemy has not been turned into a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-war-is-not-won-if-the-defeated-enemy-has-not-been-turned-into-a/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to-surpass-himself-and-yearns/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [This food-and-shelter theory concerning man's efforts is without insight. The desire for praise is more imperative than the desire for food and shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/this-food-and-shelter-theory-concerning-man-s-efforts-is-without/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Explore all 658 Eric Hoffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More Acquire quotes > [Most people seek after what they do not possess and are enslaved by the very things they want to acquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/most-people-seek-after-what-they-do-not-possess-and-are-enslaved-by/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [Acquire worldly wisdom and adjust your behavior accordingly. If your new behavior gives you a little temporary unpopularity with your peer group then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/acquire-worldly-wisdom-and-adjust-your-behavior-accordingly-if-your/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [This was Shakespeare's form ; Who walk'd in every path of human life, Felt every passion ; and to all mankind Doth now, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/this-was-shakespeare-s-form-who-walk-d-in-every-path-of-human-life/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [The best way for women to acquire knowledge is from conversation with a father, a brother, or a friend, in the way of family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-letitia-barbauld/the-best-way-for-women-to-acquire-knowledge-is-from-conversation-with/) [Anna Letitia Barbauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-letitia-barbauld/) > [Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything, believe anything in order to acquire it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/have-you-ever-wanted-something-so-badly-that-you-would-do-anything/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) [Peter Martins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-martins/) > [You can't know it all. No matter how smart you are, no matter how comprehensive your education, no matter how wide ranging your experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-can-t-know-it-all-no-matter-how-smart-you-are-no-matter-how/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [A better distribution of incomes would increase that efficiency by diverting a great fund of wealth from the useless to the useful members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-better-distribution-of-incomes-would-increase-that-efficiency-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [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/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in this reality. To acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of-faith-and-that-knowledge/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) [Browse all 1,020 Acquire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The real \"haves\" are they who can acquire freedom, self-confidence, and even riches without depriving others of them. They acquire all of these by developing and applying their potentialities. On the other hand, the real \"have nots\" are they who cannot have aught except by depriving others of it. 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