--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to know how little your…" description: "\"If you want to know how little your dignity is worth, take it to the pawnbroker.\" — Evan Esar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/evan-esar-1689_dignity_if-you-want-to-know-how-little-your-dign_2826685.jpg" --- # If you want to know how little your dignity is worth, take… ![“If you want to know how little your dignity is worth, take it to the pawnbroker.” quote by Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/evan-esar-1689_dignity_if-you-want-to-know-how-little-your-dign_2826685.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/evan-esar-1689_dignity_if-you-want-to-know-how-little-your-dign_2826685.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/evan-esar-1689_dignity_if-you-want-to-know-how-little-your-dign_2826685.jpg) > “If you want to know how little your dignity is worth, take it to the pawnbroker.” [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dignity loses value when pawned away. **In simple terms:** Selling dignity cheapens it. Key Takeaway Guard personal integrity. Themes self‑respect economics humor Mood witty ironic Type philosophical social When to use this quote - financial decisions - personal boundaries - career choices - relationship negotiations Key Concepts value of self materialism Questions to Reflect On - When is it okay to compromise dignity? - What costs are hidden in cheap deals? A Different Perspective Humor may oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) ## Related quotes > [Can't you at least die with a little dignity?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/can-t-you-at-least-die-with-a-little-dignity/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [There is also a philosophy of less-is-more, and a little dignity that never hurt anybody. There are many qualities to admire about our father's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-redford/there-is-also-a-philosophy-of-less-is-more-and-a-little-dignity-that/) [James Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-redford/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [My grandfather was a pawnbroker, and when I was in first or second grade, my parents opened their own store. I probably learned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bock/my-grandfather-was-a-pawnbroker-and-when-i-was-in-first-or-second/) [Charles Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bock/) > [A financer is a pawnbroker with an imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-wing-pinero/a-financer-is-a-pawnbroker-with-an-imagination/) [Arthur Wing Pinero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-wing-pinero/) > [I got the Pawnbroker of the Year award. They said I did more for the pawn business in one year than their media team,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-harrison/i-got-the-pawnbroker-of-the-year-award-they-said-i-did-more-for-the/) [Rick Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-harrison/) > [A financier is a pawnbroker with imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-financier-is-a-pawnbroker-with-imagination/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a man of the marketplace as well as an artist. I'm a pawnbroker of myth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-condon/i-m-a-man-of-the-marketplace-as-well-as-an-artist-i-m-a-pawnbroker-of/) [Richard Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-condon/) > [Once we ask why it should be that all human beings - including infants, the intellectually disabled, criminal psychopaths, Hitler, Stalin, and the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/once-we-ask-why-it-should-be-that-all-human-beings-including-infants/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Truth is the only merit that gives dignity and worth to history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truth-is-the-only-merit-that-gives-dignity-and-worth-to-history/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Faith gives you a concept of the dignity and worth of all work, even simple work, without which work could bore you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/faith-gives-you-a-concept-of-the-dignity-and-worth-of-all-work-even/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [In spite of its glowing talk about the welfare of the masses, Communism's methods and philosophy strip man of his dignity and worth, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/in-spite-of-its-glowing-talk-about-the-welfare-of-the-masses/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [For me, my faith informs my life. I try and spend a little time on my knees every day. But it all for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/for-me-my-faith-informs-my-life-i-try-and-spend-a-little-time-on-my/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [“To be noble,. . .was to account for the life you lived, to always account for your mistakes, and to have dignity and worth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-tsukiyama/to-be-noble-was-to-account-for-the-life-you-lived-to-always-account/) [Gail Tsukiyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-tsukiyama/) > [I try to spend a little bit of time on my knees every day, but it all begins for me with cherishing the dignity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/i-try-to-spend-a-little-bit-of-time-on-my-knees-every-day-but-it-all/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) ## More by Evan Esar > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [A vacation is like love - anticipated with pleasure, experienced with discomfort, and remembered with nostalgia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/a-vacation-is-like-love-anticipated-with-pleasure-experienced-with/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Las Vegas is a resort whose two chief sources of income are seven and eleven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/las-vegas-is-a-resort-whose-two-chief-sources-of-income-are-seven-and/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [It's not the loss of life that makes the death bitter -- it's the obituaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/it-s-not-the-loss-of-life-that-makes-the-death-bitter-it-s-the/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [“Let those who want to, arrive Let those who want to, leave Let those who want to, stay With out harm to me or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/let-those-who-want-to-arrive-let-those-who-want-to-leave-let-those/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The only medicine that needs no prescription, has no unpleasant taste, and costs no money is laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-only-medicine-that-needs-no-prescription-has-no-unpleasant-taste/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The word impossible is peculiar because if you examine it closely, you'll find that most of it is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-word-impossible-is-peculiar-because-if-you-examine-it-closely-you/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Walking isn't a lost art: one must, by some means, get to the garage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/walking-isn-t-a-lost-art-one-must-by-some-means-get-to-the-garage/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [There are two kinds of leaders: those who are interested in the flock, and those who are interested in the fleece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who-are-interested-in-the-flock/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The man who avoids debt doesn't have to worry about avoiding his creditors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-man-who-avoids-debt-doesn-t-have-to-worry-about-avoiding-his/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The diamond is the hardest stone -- to get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-diamond-is-the-hardest-stone-to-get/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The lecturer who is full of his subject is usually very slow in emptying himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-lecturer-who-is-full-of-his-subject-is-usually-very-slow-in/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Etymology: from Latin ad-, "to" + visum, past participle of videre, "to see". Advice is what you get from your parents when you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/etymology-from-latin-ad-to-visum-past-participle-of-videre-to-see/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [A husband may forget where he went on his honeymoon, but he never forgets why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/a-husband-may-forget-where-he-went-on-his-honeymoon-but-he-never/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [You can always tell the golfer who's winning: he's the one who keeps telling his opponent that it's only a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/you-can-always-tell-the-golfer-who-s-winning-he-s-the-one-who-keeps/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) [Explore all 215 Evan Esar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) ## More Dignity quotes > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I take the responsibility of playing another ethnicity very, very seriously, and I promise myself and those people that I will represent them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-take-the-responsibility-of-playing-another-ethnicity-very-very/) [Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [Use every man according to his desert and who should 'scape whipping? Use them after your own honor and dignity, the less they deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/use-every-man-according-to-his-desert-and-who-should-scape-whipping/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The dignity of man is in free choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-frisch/the-dignity-of-man-is-in-free-choice/) [Max Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-frisch/) > [One of the things I love about Africa is the amount of dignity and respect and humility you see all the time. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-scott/one-of-the-things-i-love-about-africa-is-the-amount-of-dignity-and/) [Jill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-scott/) > [It is well for a man when he has learned to endure what he cannot change, and to give up with dignity what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/it-is-well-for-a-man-when-he-has-learned-to-endure-what-he-cannot/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [There is something to be said for anyone who sits alone with dignity and silently begs for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/there-is-something-to-be-said-for-anyone-who-sits-alone-with-dignity/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [I just remember that disturbing feeling of walking into that prison, the complete loss of privacy, the complete loss of stimulation, dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/i-just-remember-that-disturbing-feeling-of-walking-into-that-prison/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [Henry Kissinger may have wished I had presented him as a combination of Charles DeGaulle and Disraeli, but I didn't…out of respect for DeGaulle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/henry-kissinger-may-have-wished-i-had-presented-him-as-a-combination/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [The dignity of a woman's life is infinite, her status immeasurable, her capacity unbounded, her role divine...In the fast changing world of today her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-dignity-of-a-woman-s-life-is-infinite-her-status-immeasurable-her/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) [Browse all 3,116 Dignity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want to know how little your dignity is worth, take it to the pawnbroker.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Evan Esar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/if-you-want-to-know-how-little-your-dignity-is-worth-take-it-to-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dignity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/if-you-want-to-know-how-little-your-dignity-is-worth-take-it-to-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/evan-esar-1689_dignity_if-you-want-to-know-how-little-your-dign_2826685.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/evan-esar-1689_dignity_if-you-want-to-know-how-little-your-dign_2826685.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/evan-esar-1689_dignity_if-you-want-to-know-how-little-your-dign_2826685.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you want to know how little your dignity is worth, take it to the pawnbroker.” — Evan Esar", "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": "Evan Esar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you want to know how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/if-you-want-to-know-how-little-your-dignity-is-worth-take-it-to-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/if-you-want-to-know-how-little-your-dignity-is-worth-take-it-to-the/#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 } } ] } ```