--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How earthy old people become --moldy as…" description: "\"How earthy old people become --moldy as the grave! Their wisdom smacks of the earth. There is no foretaste of immortality in it. They remind me of eart..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/henry-david-thoreau-20_age_how-earthy-old-people-become-moldy-as-th_1592387.jpg" --- # How earthy old people become --moldy as the grave! Their… ![“How earthy old people become --moldy as the grave! Their wisdom smacks of the earth. There is no foretaste of immortality in it. They remind me of earthworms and mole crickets.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/henry-david-thoreau-20_age_how-earthy-old-people-become-moldy-as-th_1592387.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/henry-david-thoreau-20_age_how-earthy-old-people-become-moldy-as-th_1592387.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/henry-david-thoreau-20_age_how-earthy-old-people-become-moldy-as-th_1592387.jpg) > “How earthy old people become --moldy as the grave! Their wisdom smacks of the earth. There is no foretaste of immortality in it. They remind me of earthworms and mole crickets.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## 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 critiques aging people as being overly attached to material, earthly concerns, lacking spiritual insight. **In simple terms:** Old age can become stagnant and materialistic. Key Takeaway Seek deeper meaning beyond physical existence. Themes mortality spirituality aging Mood reflective critical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal reflection - philosophical discourse - literary critique Key Concepts materialism existentialism humility Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance respect for elders with spiritual growth? - What practices foster inner wisdom beyond physical concerns? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Aging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) [Cricket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cricket/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Earthworms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earthworms/) [Earthy Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earthy-old-6038092/) [Grave Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grave-wisdom-6038094/) [Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graves/) [Immortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortality/) [Immortality Remind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortality-remind-6038093/) [Moles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moles/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Old people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Remind Earthworms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remind-earthworms-6038095/) [Smack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smack/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [The moles nested in my cellar, nibbling every third potato, and making a snug bed even there of some hair left after plastering and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-moles-nested-in-my-cellar-nibbling-every-third-potato-and-making/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“I have come to understand, like Darwin had, that earthworms are not destroyers, but redeemers. 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