--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh, I wish I were a miser; being a miser…" description: "\"Oh, I wish I were a miser; being a miser must be so occupying.\" — Gertrude Stein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd1/gertrude-stein-667_wish_oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-m_1460012.jpg" --- # Oh, I wish I were a miser; being a miser must be so… ![“Oh, I wish I were a miser; being a miser must be so occupying.” quote by Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd1/gertrude-stein-667_wish_oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-m_1460012.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd1/gertrude-stein-667_wish_oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-m_1460012.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd1/gertrude-stein-667_wish_oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-m_1460012.jpg) > “Oh, I wish I were a miser; being a miser must be so occupying.” [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker envies the miser’s focus, suggesting that obsessive preoccupation can dominate one’s life. **In simple terms:** Being a miser seems all‑consuming. Key Takeaway Balance focus with broader life. Themes envy obsession materialism Mood thoughtful philosophical Type literary reflective When to use this quote - career - finance - personal goals Key Concepts psychology of greed focus vs. distraction Questions to Reflect On - What occupies your thoughts? - Can focus be healthy? A Different Perspective Obsessive focus can limit happiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Miser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miser/) [Occupying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupying/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [What greater evil could you wish a miser, than long life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-greater-evil-could-you-wish-a-miser-than-long-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Governing is occupying but not interesting, governments are occupying but not interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesting-governments-are-occupying/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“Israel is the only nation in the West that is occupying another people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-shavit/israel-is-the-only-nation-in-the-west-that-is-occupying-another-people/) [Ari Shavit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-shavit/) > [I don't think you're going to be seeing the U.S. employing large army divisions to deal with small terrorist groups again. I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/i-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-be-seeing-the-u-s-employing-large-army/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [As long as we're here, we are the occupying power. It's a very ugly word, but it's true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bremer/as-long-as-we-re-here-we-are-the-occupying-power-it-s-a-very-ugly/) [Paul Bremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bremer/) > [Much of living is an attempt to preserve oneself by annexing and occupying others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-frame/much-of-living-is-an-attempt-to-preserve-oneself-by-annexing-and/) [Janet Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-frame/) > [Occupying armies have responsibilities, not rights. Their primary responsibility is to withdraw as quickly and expeditiously as possible, in a manner determined by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/occupying-armies-have-responsibilities-not-rights-their-primary/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I was writing and I have three kids. I was occupying my time with them but it was difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/i-was-writing-and-i-have-three-kids-i-was-occupying-my-time-with-them/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I ask every man and woman occupying a place of responsibility whose duty it is to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/i-ask-every-man-and-woman-occupying-a-place-of-responsibility-whose/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [We go in to liberate Cuba, but Cuba still isn't free; we don't really think through what we'll do after the initial treaty is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/we-go-in-to-liberate-cuba-but-cuba-still-isn-t-free-we-don-t-really/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [We will liberate our country from the occupying forces and put an end to relations between Russia and the Chechen State, no matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aslan-maskhadov/we-will-liberate-our-country-from-the-occupying-forces-and-put-an-end/) [Aslan Maskhadov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aslan-maskhadov/) > [Our strategy is to defend ourselves against an occupying army and against settlers and settlements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-yassin/our-strategy-is-to-defend-ourselves-against-an-occupying-army-and/) [Ahmed Yassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-yassin/) > [Occupy has to continue as a bold, in-your-face movement - occupying banks, corporate headquarters, board meetings, campuses and Wall Street itself. We need weekly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/occupy-has-to-continue-as-a-bold-in-your-face-movement-occupying/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [There must not be favoured treatment for those occupying a position of public responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-felipe-vi/there-must-not-be-favoured-treatment-for-those-occupying-a-position/) [King Felipe VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-felipe-vi/) > [I don't think we would have had to be an occupying power if we had done the right thing in 1991.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lee-anderson/i-don-t-think-we-would-have-had-to-be-an-occupying-power-if-we-had/) [Jon Lee Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lee-anderson/) ## More by Gertrude Stein > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Just as everybody has the vote including women, I think children should, because as a child is conscious of itself then it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/just-as-everybody-has-the-vote-including-women-i-think-children/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“When is there some discharge when. There never is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/when-is-there-some-discharge-when-there-never-is/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [There is no such thing as repetition. Only insistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/there-is-no-such-thing-as-repetition-only-insistance/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I am I because my little dog knows me but, creatively speaking the little dog knowing that you are you and your recognising that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-am-i-because-my-little-dog-knows-me-but-creatively-speaking-the/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [How likely are definitions to be pleasurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/how-likely-are-definitions-to-be-pleasurable/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [ “What is the answer?" \[ I \[Alice B Toklas\] was silent \] In that case, what is the question?” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/what-is-the-answer-i-alice-b-toklas-was-silent-in-that-case-what-is/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [More and more I like to take a train. I understand why the French prefer it to automobiling it is so much more sociable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/more-and-more-i-like-to-take-a-train-i-understand-why-the-french/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Adventure is making the distant approach nearer but romance is having what is where it is which is not where you are stay where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/adventure-is-making-the-distant-approach-nearer-but-romance-is-having/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Forensics is eloquence and reduction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/forensics-is-eloquence-and-reduction/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Eating and sleeping are not like loving and breathing. Washing is not like eating and sleeping. Believing is like breathing and loving. Religion can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/eating-and-sleeping-are-not-like-loving-and-breathing-washing-is-not/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I write for myself and strangers. The strangers, dear Readers, are an afterthought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-write-for-myself-and-strangers-the-strangers-dear-readers-are-an/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“A bag which was left and not only taken but turned away was not found. The place was shown to be very like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/a-bag-which-was-left-and-not-only-taken-but-turned-away-was-not-found/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I don't envisage collectivism. There is no such animal, it is always individualism, sometimes the rest vote and sometimes they do not, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-don-t-envisage-collectivism-there-is-no-such-animal-it-is-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) [Explore all 418 Gertrude Stein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) ## More Miser quotes > [Genuinely my big thing and the reason I'm in 'The Miser' is because I always ask myself one simple question when I'm offered anything:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/genuinely-my-big-thing-and-the-reason-i-m-in-the-miser-is-because-i/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [Never was a miser a brave soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/never-was-a-miser-a-brave-soul/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [In this consists the difference between the character of a miser and that of a person of exact economy and assiduity. The one is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/in-this-consists-the-difference-between-the-character-of-a-miser-and/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [If a man is miser, he will certainly have a prodigal son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/if-a-man-is-miser-he-will-certainly-have-a-prodigal-son/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I admit I'm a miser! The most generous thing I've done is get married!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chunky-pandey/i-admit-i-m-a-miser-the-most-generous-thing-i-ve-done-is-get-married/) [Chunky Pandey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chunky-pandey/) > [What greater evil could you wish a miser, than long life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-greater-evil-could-you-wish-a-miser-than-long-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ He \[the miser\] falls down and worships the god of this world, but will have neither its pomps, its vanities nor its pleasures for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/he-the-miser-falls-down-and-worships-the-god-of-this-world-but-will/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The miser is the man who starves himself and everybody else, in order to worship wealth in its dead form, as distinct from its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-miser-is-the-man-who-starves-himself-and-everybody-else-in-order/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The happiest miser on earth is the man who saves up every friend he can make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-sherwood/the-happiest-miser-on-earth-is-the-man-who-saves-up-every-friend-he/) [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) > [A thorough: miser must possess considerable strength of character to bear the self-denial imposed by his penuriousness. Equal sacrifices, endured voluntarily in a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-benton-clulow/a-thorough-miser-must-possess-considerable-strength-of-character-to/) [William Benton Clulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-benton-clulow/) > [The miser is as much in want of what he has as of what he has not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/the-miser-is-as-much-in-want-of-what-he-has-as-of-what-he-has-not/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [You see that mango tree over there...i wish it was planted before the famine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/old-roger/you-see-that-mango-tree-over-there-i-wish-it-was-planted-before-the/) Old Roger > [A miser is a person who is reluctant to spend and saves for those who will bury him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-miser-is-a-person-who-is-reluctant-to-spend-and-saves-for-those-who/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Every man serves a useful purpose: a miser, for example, makes a wonderful ancestor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/every-man-serves-a-useful-purpose-a-miser-for-example-makes-a/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [“If a person lives frugally and acts in a cheap manner, isn't the person living a redundant life?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-harder/if-a-person-lives-frugally-and-acts-in-a-cheap-manner-isn-t-the/) S.harder [Browse all 43 Miser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miser/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Oh, I wish I were a miser; being a miser must be so occupying.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gertrude Stein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-must-be-so-occupying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Miser" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-must-be-so-occupying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd1/gertrude-stein-667_wish_oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-m_1460012.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd1/gertrude-stein-667_wish_oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-m_1460012.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd1/gertrude-stein-667_wish_oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-m_1460012.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Oh, I wish I were a miser; being a miser must be so occupying.” — Gertrude Stein", "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": "Gertrude Stein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Oh, I wish I were a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-must-be-so-occupying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-must-be-so-occupying/#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 } } ] } ```