--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We know that poverty is unpleasant; in…" description: "\"“We know that poverty is unpleasant; in fact, since it is so remote, we rather enjoy harrowing ourselves with the thought of its unpleasantness. But do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/george-orwell-57_dear-brother_we-know-that-poverty-is-unpleasant-in-fa_334651.jpg" --- # We know that poverty is unpleasant; in fact, since it is… ![“We know that poverty is unpleasant; in fact, since it is so remote, we rather enjoy harrowing ourselves with the thought of its unpleasantness. But don't expect us to do anything about it. We are sorry for you lower classes, just as we are sorry for a, cat with the mange, but we will fight like…” quote by George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/george-orwell-57_dear-brother_we-know-that-poverty-is-unpleasant-in-fa_334651.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/george-orwell-57_dear-brother_we-know-that-poverty-is-unpleasant-in-fa_334651.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/george-orwell-57_dear-brother_we-know-that-poverty-is-unpleasant-in-fa_334651.jpg) > ““We know that poverty is unpleasant; in fact, since it is so remote, we rather enjoy harrowing ourselves with the thought of its unpleasantness. But don't expect us to do anything about it. We are sorry for you lower classes, just as we are sorry for a, cat with the mange, but we will fight like devils against any improvement of your condition. We feel that you are much safer as you are. The present state of affairs suits us, and we are not going to take the risk of setting you free, even by an extra hour a day. So, dear brothers, since evidently you must sweat to pay for our trips to Italy, sweat and be damned to you.”” [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage mocks the apathetic attitude toward poverty, portraying the elite as preferring to keep the poor in discomfort rather than improving their condition. **In simple terms:** The wealthy prefer to keep the poor suffering rather than help them. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge complacent attitudes toward inequality. Themes inequality elitism apathy satire social critique Mood cynical provocative Type satirical political When to use this quote - policy debates - social welfare programs - public discourse - activist organizing Key Concepts class struggle political satire moral responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do privileged groups have toward the poor? - How can satire effectively expose social injustices? A Different Perspective May be exaggerated for rhetorical effect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dear brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dear-brother/) [Dear Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dear-brothers-781389/) [Italy Sweat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/italy-sweat-3123316/) [Know Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-poverty-309208/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Poverty Unpleasant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty-unpleasant-3123315/) ## Related quotes > [“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-deceived-my-dear-brothers-and-sisters-every-good-and-perfect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dear brothers and sisters, the Church loves you! Be an active presence in the community, as living cells, as living stones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/dear-brothers-and-sisters-the-church-loves-you-be-an-active-presence/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 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Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-careful-then-dear-brothers-and-sisters-make-sure-that-your-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/my-dear-brothers-take-note-of-this-everyone-should-be-quick-to-listen/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [ “Dear brothers and sisters,\[\*\] when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dear-brothers-and-sisters-when-troubles-of-any-kind-come-your-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-m-nelson/my-dear-brothers-and-sisters-the-joy-we-feel-has-little-to-do-with/) [Russell M. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-m-nelson/) > [“God's friendship is with people who know their poverty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/god-s-friendship-is-with-people-who-know-their-poverty/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [I know what poverty is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-know-what-poverty-is/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [To be able to proclaim the Good News to the poor we must know what is poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/to-be-able-to-proclaim-the-good-news-to-the-poor-we-must-know-what-is/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [“They don't know what poor is. They don't know that poverty is a sharp knife carving away at you. They don't know what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-yoon/they-don-t-know-what-poor-is-they-don-t-know-that-poverty-is-a-sharp/) [Nicola Yoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-yoon/) ## More by George Orwell > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [It was given out that the animals there practised cannibalism, tortured one another with red-hot horseshoes, and had their females in common. This was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/it-was-given-out-that-the-animals-there-practised-cannibalism/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“The actual writing would be easy. 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In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/don-t-you-see-that-the-whole-aim-of-newspeak-is-to-narrow-the-range/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Windmill or no windmill, he said, life would go on as it had always gone on--that is, badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/windmill-or-no-windmill-he-said-life-would-go-on-as-it-had-always/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/man-is-the-only-creature-that-consumes-without-producing-he-does-not/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [And the bigger the fall, the bigger the joke. 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We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-dubus-iii/soraya-joon-i-have-done-all-that-i-could-do-not-be-sorry-for-us-your/) [Andre Dubus III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-dubus-iii/) > [You must be strong, dear brothers and sisters. You must be strong with the strength that comes from faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/you-must-be-strong-dear-brothers-and-sisters-you-must-be-strong-with/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [“You always were selfish. Your one fault. Not willing to share anything, are you?" Suddenly, Damon's lips curved up in a singularly beautiful smile.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/you-always-were-selfish-your-one-fault-not-willing-to-share-anything/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [My dear brother, never allow a woman to hold all of the cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/my-dear-brother-never-allow-a-woman-to-hold-all-of-the-cards/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Before Charlotte could utter a syllable, Tristan picked up her gloved hand and kissed her lightly on the knuckles. “Good day, Charlotte,” he said.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-parker/before-charlotte-could-utter-a-syllable-tristan-picked-up-her-gloved/) [Olivia Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-parker/) > [“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-deceived-my-dear-brothers-and-sisters-every-good-and-perfect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My dear brother Barack Obama has a certain fear of free black men. As a young brother who grows up in a white context,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/my-dear-brother-barack-obama-has-a-certain-fear-of-free-black-men-as/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [In the swamp in secluded recesses, A shy and hidden bird is warbling a song. Solitary the thrush, The hermit withdrawn to himself, avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/in-the-swamp-in-secluded-recesses-a-shy-and-hidden-bird-is-warbling-a/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“Please, dear brother, do much more with that Bible of yours besides carry it for luck. 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