--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most men appear never to have considered…" description: "\"“Most men appear never to have considered what a house is, and are actually though needlessly poor all their lives because they think that they must ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/996/henry-david-thoreau-20_hard-time_most-men-appear-never-to-have-considered_2300348.jpg" --- # Most men appear never to have considered what a house is… ![“Most men appear never to have considered what a house is, and are actually though needlessly poor all their lives because they think that they must have such a one as their neighbors have. As if one were to wear any sort of coat which the tailor might cut out for him, or gradually leaving off…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/996/henry-david-thoreau-20_hard-time_most-men-appear-never-to-have-considered_2300348.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/996/henry-david-thoreau-20_hard-time_most-men-appear-never-to-have-considered_2300348.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/996/henry-david-thoreau-20_hard-time_most-men-appear-never-to-have-considered_2300348.jpg) > ““Most men appear never to have considered what a house is, and are actually though needlessly poor all their lives because they think that they must have such a one as their neighbors have. As if one were to wear any sort of coat which the tailor might cut out for him, or gradually leaving off palm-leaf hat or cap of woodchuck skin, complain of hard times because he could not afford to buy him a crown! It is possible to invent a house still more convenient and luxurious than we have, which yet all would admit that man could not afford to pay for. Shall we always study to obtain more of these things, and not sometimes be content with less?”” [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. People often chase material standards set by others, neglecting simpler, sufficient living, leading to unnecessary poverty. **In simple terms:** We chase status instead of need. Key Takeaway Simplify and focus on true needs. Themes materialism simplicity contentment Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - budgeting - minimalist living - housing decisions Key Concepts consumerism social comparison Questions to Reflect On - What truly constitutes a “house” for you? - How can you balance comfort and simplicity? A Different Perspective Some may argue basic comforts are essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hard time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-time/) [Hard times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-times/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [Most men appear never to have considered what a house is, and are actually though needlessly poor all their lives because they think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/most-men-appear-never-to-have-considered-what-a-house-is-and-are-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It is possible to invent a house still more convenient and luxurious than we have...but shall we always study to obtain more of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-possible-to-invent-a-house-still-more-convenient-and-luxurious/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“I planted a tree. 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It’s actually just a few streets over from your place.” “Wow,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-kennedy/seth-and-i-are-looking-at-a-house-there-it-s-actually-just-a-few/) [Sloane Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-kennedy/) > [I'm pretty handy! 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'Can't afford them,Governor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/have-you-no-morals-man-can-t-afford-them-governor/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [No man can afford to express, through words or acts, that which is not in harmony with his own beliefs, and if he does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-man-can-afford-to-express-through-words-or-acts-that-which-is-not/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [A rich man can afford to be generous to many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-mccambridge/a-rich-man-can-afford-to-be-generous-to-many/) [Mercedes McCambridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-mccambridge/) > [Many a wedding takes place when a man can't afford to go steady with a girl any longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/many-a-wedding-takes-place-when-a-man-can-t-afford-to-go-steady-with/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The rich man can afford to be happy and wise; the poor man is wiser still, for he understands sadness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-chase/the-rich-man-can-afford-to-be-happy-and-wise-the-poor-man-is-wiser/) William Henry Chase ## 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. 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I used all my physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-min-ho/heirs-became-an-emotional-experience-for-me-i-had-a-hard-time/) [Lee Min-ho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-min-ho/) > [In love, the hard times will surely call, and no lover is without their flaw. But you must have rain to see the rainbows,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-love-the-hard-times-will-surely-call-and-no-lover-is-without-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was having such a hard time when I made Sylvia. I gave everything I had for that role. It's one or two or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/i-was-having-such-a-hard-time-when-i-made-sylvia-i-gave-everything-i/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [Tom Stafford was an odd character, you know - a brilliant guy. 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