--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I did not know that mankind was suffering…" description: "\"I did not know that mankind was suffering for want of gold.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/henry-david-thoreau-20_gold_i-did-not-know-that-mankind-was-sufferin_1483912.jpg" --- # I did not know that mankind was suffering for want of gold. ![“I did not know that mankind was suffering for want of gold.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/henry-david-thoreau-20_gold_i-did-not-know-that-mankind-was-sufferin_1483912.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/henry-david-thoreau-20_gold_i-did-not-know-that-mankind-was-sufferin_1483912.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/henry-david-thoreau-20_gold_i-did-not-know-that-mankind-was-sufferin_1483912.jpg) > “I did not know that mankind was suffering for want of gold.” [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. Human suffering often stems from material scarcity, yet true poverty is a lack of inner wealth. **In simple terms:** People suffer because they lack gold, but also because they lack inner richness. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner values beyond material wealth. Themes philosophy materialism spirituality Mood reflective inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal budgeting - mindfulness practice - voluntary simplicity - community sharing Key Concepts inner wealth simplicity contentment Questions to Reflect On - What non‑material resources sustain you? - How can society value inner wealth? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on material wealth can overlook deeper needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Know Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-mankind-889207/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Mankind Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind-suffering-1198428/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-want-513521/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-gold-781643/) ## Related quotes > [The doctors are all agreed that I am suffering for want of society. Was never a case like it. First, I did not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-doctors-are-all-agreed-that-i-am-suffering-for-want-of-society/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“I did not know that mankind were suffering for want of gold. I have seen a little of it. I know that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-did-not-know-that-mankind-were-suffering-for-want-of-gold-i-have/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Is it true that one travels in order to know mankind? It is easier to get to know other people at home, but abroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/is-it-true-that-one-travels-in-order-to-know-mankind-it-is-easier-to/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [I want to get a gold star. And I know that there are places that I need to go in order to get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-bee/i-want-to-get-a-gold-star-and-i-know-that-there-are-places-that-i/) [Samantha Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-bee/) > [And I want a gold medal more than anything. I just want a gold medal, so that's been pushing me forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-sacramone/and-i-want-a-gold-medal-more-than-anything-i-just-want-a-gold-medal/) [Alicia Sacramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-sacramone/) > [Mankind's suffering belongs to all men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kouchner/mankind-s-suffering-belongs-to-all-men/) [Bernard Kouchner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kouchner/) > [ \[In-group exclusivism has\] killed more human beings and destroyed more cities and villages than all the epidemics, hurricanes, storms, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pitirim-sorokin/in-group-exclusivism-has-killed-more-human-beings-and-destroyed-more/) [Pitirim Sorokin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pitirim-sorokin/) > [We have lived through the flood time of fascism and of the nazism which ran its meteoric course at a cost to mankind in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/we-have-lived-through-the-flood-time-of-fascism-and-of-the-nazism/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [“The question is: do you want suffering or do you want peace? It's that simple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/the-question-is-do-you-want-suffering-or-do-you-want-peace-it-s-that/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [In a world of war, pain and suffering, all I want for Christmas is an underwater watch and a silver clutch rod for my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/in-a-world-of-war-pain-and-suffering-all-i-want-for-christmas-is-an/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [That's why I want to speak to you now. To say: no person, trying to take responsibility for her or his identity, should have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/that-s-why-i-want-to-speak-to-you-now-to-say-no-person-trying-to-take/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [Pain? He could handle that, no problem; it was the idea that the female he loved was suffering that made him want to either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pain-he-could-handle-that-no-problem-it-was-the-idea-that-the-female/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm not interested in heaven unless my anger gets to go there too. I'm not interested in a happy eternity unless I get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-lockwood/i-m-not-interested-in-heaven-unless-my-anger-gets-to-go-there-too-i-m/) [Patricia Lockwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-lockwood/) > [“Pain is suffering because we want to be free of it, and pleasure is suffering because we fear to lose it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-staveley/pain-is-suffering-because-we-want-to-be-free-of-it-and-pleasure-is/) [Brian Staveley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-staveley/) > [Anywhere I see suffering, that is where I want to be, doing what I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/princess-diana/anywhere-i-see-suffering-that-is-where-i-want-to-be-doing-what-i-can/) [Princess Diana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/princess-diana/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Gold quotes > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [Set the bird's wings with gold and it will never again soar in thesky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/set-the-bird-s-wings-with-gold-and-it-will-never-again-soar-in-thesky/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [A great smile is a wonderful asset, but a good heart is pure gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/a-great-smile-is-a-wonderful-asset-but-a-good-heart-is-pure-gold/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/ring-out-false-pride-in-place-and-blood-the-civic-slander-and-the/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) > [Just as the setting sun turned the clouds to liquid gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/just-as-the-setting-sun-turned-the-clouds-to-liquid-gold/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [No matter what. Wherever your mind wanders, it seems to turn up at the same Field of Dreams. It's the vision you wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/no-matter-what-wherever-your-mind-wanders-it-seems-to-turn-up-at-the/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [The spectacle of a great, solvent government paying a fictitious price for gold it did not want and did not need and doing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garet-garrett/the-spectacle-of-a-great-solvent-government-paying-a-fictitious-price/) [Garet Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garet-garrett/) > [Nothing good comes on a platter of gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-good-comes-on-a-platter-of-gold/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All the people in Korea are cheering me like I'm a gold medalist or something, so I have a responsibility to my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psy/all-the-people-in-korea-are-cheering-me-like-i-m-a-gold-medalist-or/) [PSY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psy/) > [All metallics are neutrals. So it is absolutely fine to mix gold and silver; you just want it to look like it has purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/all-metallics-are-neutrals-so-it-is-absolutely-fine-to-mix-gold-and/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) > [He gives only the worthless gold who gives from a sense of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/he-gives-only-the-worthless-gold-who-gives-from-a-sense-of-duty/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) [Browse all 3,806 Gold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I did not know that mankind was suffering for want of gold.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-did-not-know-that-mankind-was-suffering-for-want-of-gold/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gold" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-did-not-know-that-mankind-was-suffering-for-want-of-gold/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/henry-david-thoreau-20_gold_i-did-not-know-that-mankind-was-sufferin_1483912.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/henry-david-thoreau-20_gold_i-did-not-know-that-mankind-was-sufferin_1483912.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/henry-david-thoreau-20_gold_i-did-not-know-that-mankind-was-sufferin_1483912.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I did not know that mankind was suffering for want of gold.” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I did not know that mankind...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-did-not-know-that-mankind-was-suffering-for-want-of-gold/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-did-not-know-that-mankind-was-suffering-for-want-of-gold/#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 } } ] } ```