---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at…"
description: "\"Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at very short intervals, not having had time to acquire any new value for each other. We meet at meals three tim..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/henry-david-thoreau-20_cheese_society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at_713266.jpg"
---

#  Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at very short…

![“Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at very short intervals, not having had time to acquire any new value for each other. We meet at meals three times a day, and give each other a new taste of that old musty cheese that we are.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/henry-david-thoreau-20_cheese_society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at_713266.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/henry-david-thoreau-20_cheese_society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at_713266.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/henry-david-thoreau-20_cheese_society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at_713266.jpg)

> “Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at very short intervals, not having had time to acquire any new value for each other. We meet at meals three times a day, and give each other a new taste of that old musty cheese that we are.”

[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.

Thoreau critiques superficial social interactions, noting that frequent meetings often lack fresh value and become stale.

**In simple terms:** People meet often but share nothing new, becoming like old cheese.

Key Takeaway

Seek deeper, more meaningful connections.

Themes

society superficiality value interaction authenticity

Mood

contemplative critical

Type

philosophical observational

When to use this quote

- daily meals
- social gatherings
- friendship circles

Key Concepts

social theory human connection quality of relationships

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we add value to repeated interactions?
- What practices foster authentic connection?

A Different Perspective

Frequent contact without depth can breed complacency.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/)

## Related quotes

> [“Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at very short intervals, not having had time to acquire any new value for each other.We meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at-very-short-intervals-not-2/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [How long will it be necessary to pay City men so entirely out of proportion to what other servants of society commonly receive for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/how-long-will-it-be-necessary-to-pay-city-men-so-entirely-out-of/)

[John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/)

> [There he got out the luncheon-basket and packed a simple meal, in which, remembering the stranger's origin and preferences, he took care to include…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/there-he-got-out-the-luncheon-basket-and-packed-a-simple-meal-in/)

[Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/)

> [I love macaroni and cheese. I could eat it every meal of the day. It used to be sushi, but these days I cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobie-smulders/i-love-macaroni-and-cheese-i-could-eat-it-every-meal-of-the-day-it/)

[Cobie Smulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobie-smulders/)

> [Believe it or not, my best meal is to go to the store and buy a DiGiorno pizza, come home, add some fresh Parmesan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheyenne-jackson/believe-it-or-not-my-best-meal-is-to-go-to-the-store-and-buy-a/)

[Cheyenne Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheyenne-jackson/)

> [Whenever you go out to eat you gotta get the appetizer. 'Cause the appetizer's just an excuse for an extra meal. You're always like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/whenever-you-go-out-to-eat-you-gotta-get-the-appetizer-cause-the/)

[Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/)

> [Grilled cheese and tomato soup is the ultimate comfort meal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-garten/grilled-cheese-and-tomato-soup-is-the-ultimate-comfort-meal/)

[Ina Garten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-garten/)

> [It is precisely because no one needs soup, fish, meat, salad, cheese, and dessert at one meal that we so badly need to sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/it-is-precisely-because-no-one-needs-soup-fish-meat-salad-cheese-and/)

[Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/)

> [I usually eat six times a day, small meals. For breakfast, an egg and a corn tortilla, salsa and cilantro, and some ham. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sprague-grayden/i-usually-eat-six-times-a-day-small-meals-for-breakfast-an-egg-and-a/)

[Sprague Grayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sprague-grayden/)

> [The stars are the jewels of the night, and perchance surpass anything which day has to show. A companion with whom I was sailing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-stars-are-the-jewels-of-the-night-and-perchance-surpass-anything-2/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Every New Englander might easily raise all his own breadstuffs in this land of rye and Indian corn, and not depend on distant andfluctuating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/every-new-englander-might-easily-raise-all-his-own-breadstuffs-in/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Grew up in a small town where there was only one crazy guy. He didn't even go insane doing anything good, like going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-posehn/grew-up-in-a-small-town-where-there-was-only-one-crazy-guy-he-didn-t/)

[Brian Posehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-posehn/)

> [“Rachel could sell cheese to vegans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-frazer/rachel-could-sell-cheese-to-vegans/)

Megan Frazer

> [I don't think I've ever bench-pressed anything in my life. Until about two years ago I swam a mile almost every day. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-bench-pressed-anything-in-my-life-until-about/)

[Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/)

> [I have a lot of secret uses for sour cream, which is the magic ingredient in my mac and cheese. It's an old-timey, Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-deen/i-have-a-lot-of-secret-uses-for-sour-cream-which-is-the-magic/)

[Paula Deen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-deen/)

## 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 Cheese quotes

> [I have a lot of secret uses for sour cream, which is the magic ingredient in my mac and cheese. It's an old-timey, Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-deen/i-have-a-lot-of-secret-uses-for-sour-cream-which-is-the-magic/)

[Paula Deen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-deen/)

> [I don't think I've ever bench-pressed anything in my life. Until about two years ago I swam a mile almost every day. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-bench-pressed-anything-in-my-life-until-about/)

[Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/)

> [“Rachel could sell cheese to vegans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-frazer/rachel-could-sell-cheese-to-vegans/)

Megan Frazer

> [Grew up in a small town where there was only one crazy guy. He didn't even go insane doing anything good, like going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-posehn/grew-up-in-a-small-town-where-there-was-only-one-crazy-guy-he-didn-t/)

[Brian Posehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-posehn/)

> [It's still possible to savor the remarkable foods that millennia of human ingenuity have teased from milk. A sip of milk itself or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-mcgee/it-s-still-possible-to-savor-the-remarkable-foods-that-millennia-of/)

Harold McGee

> [It shows you exactly how a star is formed; nothing else can be so pretty! A cluster of vapor, the cream of the milky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/it-shows-you-exactly-how-a-star-is-formed-nothing-else-can-be-so/)

[Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/)

> [There should be a burnished tablet let into the ground on the spot where some courageous man first ate Stilton cheese, and survived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-should-be-a-burnished-tablet-let-into-the-ground-on-the-spot/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Tacos." "Tacos?" I echoed. This seemed to amuse him. "Tomatoes, lettuce, cheese." "I know what a taco is!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/tacos-tacos-i-echoed-this-seemed-to-amuse-him-tomatoes-lettuce-cheese/)

[Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/)

> [I happen to enjoy grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-feeney/i-happen-to-enjoy-grilled-cheese-and-tomato-sandwiches/)

[Chuck Feeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-feeney/)

> [When you look like I do its hard to get a table for one at Chucky Cheese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/when-you-look-like-i-do-its-hard-to-get-a-table-for-one-at-chucky/)

[Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/)

> [I would love a sandwich,' said Tybalt, with enough gravity to make it sound like a formal proclamation. Resolved: that we will have ham…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-love-a-sandwich-said-tybalt-with-enough-gravity-to-make-it/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [With iPad publishing, you can try new things, experiment, and even launch new magazines without the massive risk normally associated with print publishing. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-kelby/with-ipad-publishing-you-can-try-new-things-experiment-and-even/)

[Scott Kelby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-kelby/)

> [Most religion-mongers have bated their paradises with a bit of toasted cheese. They have tempted the body with large promises of possessions in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/most-religion-mongers-have-bated-their-paradises-with-a-bit-of/)

[James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/)

> [The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-early-bird-gets-the-worm-but-the-second-mouse-gets-the-cheese/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Aye ! Cream cheese & a bagle . Have a glass of milk & an ego . I'm rockin' pj's with no shirt . I smoke weed , eat yogurt .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/aye-cream-cheese-a-bagle-have-a-glass-of-milk-an-ego-i-m-rockin-pj-s/)

[Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/)

Browse all 908 Cheese quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at very short intervals, not having had time to acquire any new value for each other. We meet at meals three times a day, and give each other a new taste of that old musty cheese that we are.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henry David Thoreau"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at-very-short-intervals-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cheese"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at-very-short-intervals-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/henry-david-thoreau-20_cheese_society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at_713266.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/henry-david-thoreau-20_cheese_society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at_713266.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/henry-david-thoreau-20_cheese_society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at_713266.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at very short intervals, not having had time to acquire any new value…” — 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": "Society is commonly too cheap. We...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at-very-short-intervals-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/society-is-commonly-too-cheap-we-meet-at-very-short-intervals-not/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```