--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most think that they are above being…" description: "\"Most think that they are above being supported by the town; but it oftener happens that they are not above supporting themselves by dishonest means, wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27c/henry-david-thoreau-20_charity_most-think-that-they-are-above-being-sup_1948117.jpg" --- # Most think that they are above being supported by the… ![“Most think that they are above being supported by the town; but it oftener happens that they are not above supporting themselves by dishonest means, which would be more disreputable.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27c/henry-david-thoreau-20_charity_most-think-that-they-are-above-being-sup_1948117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27c/henry-david-thoreau-20_charity_most-think-that-they-are-above-being-sup_1948117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27c/henry-david-thoreau-20_charity_most-think-that-they-are-above-being-sup_1948117.jpg) > “Most think that they are above being supported by the town; but it oftener happens that they are not above supporting themselves by dishonest means, which would be more disreputable.” [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 claim independence but often rely on dishonest means to support themselves, revealing moral hypocrisy. **In simple terms:** Self‑reliance can hide unethical behavior. Key Takeaway Choose ethical self‑reliance. Themes ethics self-reliance hypocrisy Mood critical contemplative Type analysis warning When to use this quote - business decisions - political activism - personal finance Key Concepts moral philosophy social critique Questions to Reflect On - What are honest ways to support yourself? - When does self‑reliance become harmful? A Different Perspective May idealize self‑reliance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Charity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charity/) [Hypocrisy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrisy/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“The acquisition by dishonest means and cunning,' said Levin, feeling that he was incapable of clearly defining the borderline between honesty and dishonesty. 'Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-acquisition-by-dishonest-means-and-cunning-said-levin-feeling/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Everyone town of 100,000 in the United States should have a Classical Theater supported by the town, or the state of the county, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-randall/everyone-town-of-100-000-in-the-united-states-should-have-a-classical/) [Tony Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-randall/) > [If we dealt only with the false and dishonest, we should at last forget how to speak truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-we-dealt-only-with-the-false-and-dishonest-we-should-at-last/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [To speak impartially, the best men that I know are not serene, a world in themselves. For the most part, they dwell in forms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-speak-impartially-the-best-men-that-i-know-are-not-serene-a-world/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Most men would feel shame if caught preparing with their own hands precisely such a dinner, whether of animal or vegetable food, as is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/most-men-would-feel-shame-if-caught-preparing-with-their-own-hands/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for conforming outwardly, and living your own life inwardly, I do not think much of that. Let not your right hand know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-conforming-outwardly-and-living-your-own-life-inwardly-i-do/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In the long run, I believe that honesty is definitely the best policy. One can get away by being dishonest for a short term,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-dev/in-the-long-run-i-believe-that-honesty-is-definitely-the-best-policy/) [Kapil Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-dev/) > [Nixon was the most dishonest individual I have ever met in my life. He lied to his wife, his family, his friends, his colleagues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/nixon-was-the-most-dishonest-individual-i-have-ever-met-in-my-life-he/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [Promises are always broken and never kept. Dishonest people do what they want, when they want and dont care about who gets hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/promises-are-always-broken-and-never-kept-dishonest-people-do-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I can’t afford to be dishonest. I also can’t afford to be poor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-can-t-afford-to-be-dishonest-i-also-can-t-afford-to-be-poor/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I've never seen more dishonest media than frankly, the political media. I thought the financial media was much better, much more honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-ve-never-seen-more-dishonest-media-than-frankly-the-political-media/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“I wouldn’t mind politicians lying to me, stealing from me, or senselessly making life difficult if they didn’t try to claim they were looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-wouldn-t-mind-politicians-lying-to-me-stealing-from-me-or/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Yes, even I am dishonest. Not in many ways, but in some. Forty-one, I think it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/yes-even-i-am-dishonest-not-in-many-ways-but-in-some-forty-one-i/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [It is intellectually dishonest to lump venture investors with hedge fund and buy-out investors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ferreira/it-is-intellectually-dishonest-to-lump-venture-investors-with-hedge/) [Jose Ferreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ferreira/) > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## 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 Charity quotes > [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I would have none of that rigid circumspect charity which is never done without scrutiny, and which always mistrusts the truth of the necessities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-massillon/i-would-have-none-of-that-rigid-circumspect-charity-which-is-never/) [Jean Baptiste Massillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-massillon/) > [I'm publicist, patron of nine charities, creative director, food consultant, recipe developer - and mum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-monroe/i-m-publicist-patron-of-nine-charities-creative-director-food/) [Jack Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-monroe/) > [The next time you're looking at a charity, don't ask about the rate of their overhead. Ask about the scale of their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-next-time-you-re-looking-at-a-charity-don-t-ask-about-the-rate-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) F. A. Harper > [I shall pray God to send charity into this hideous world, and sympathy for the weak, and love for the unhappy and unfortunate. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/i-shall-pray-god-to-send-charity-into-this-hideous-world-and-sympathy/) [John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/) > [It is thus only this personal feeling of misery that we get rid of by acts of pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-thus-only-this-personal-feeling-of-misery-that-we-get-rid-of-by/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Considering community support and cost-benefit analysis, I have supported earmarks for projects of high public purpose involving such areas as higher education, alternative energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/considering-community-support-and-cost-benefit-analysis-i-have/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [It's always great to be able to give back to the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-vucevic/it-s-always-great-to-be-able-to-give-back-to-the-community/) [Nikola Vucevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-vucevic/) > [Slander is a poison which kills charity, both in the slanderer and the one who listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/slander-is-a-poison-which-kills-charity-both-in-the-slanderer-and-the/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [I like to give back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-like-to-give-back/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [We have to restore power to the family, to the neighborhood, and the community with a non-market principle, a principle of equality, of charity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-brown/we-have-to-restore-power-to-the-family-to-the-neighborhood-and-the/) [Jerry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-brown/) > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. 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