--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some are dinning in our ears that we…" description: "\"Some are dinning in our ears that we Americans, and moderns generally, are intellectual dwarfs compared with the ancients, or eventhe Elizabethan men. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/henry-david-thoreau-20_dog_some-are-dinning-in-our-ears-that-we-ame_206508.jpg" --- # Some are dinning in our ears that we Americans, and… ![“Some are dinning in our ears that we Americans, and moderns generally, are intellectual dwarfs compared with the ancients, or eventhe Elizabethan men. But what is that to the purpose? A living dog is better than a dead lion. Shall a man go and hang himself because he belongs to the race of…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/henry-david-thoreau-20_dog_some-are-dinning-in-our-ears-that-we-ame_206508.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/henry-david-thoreau-20_dog_some-are-dinning-in-our-ears-that-we-ame_206508.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/henry-david-thoreau-20_dog_some-are-dinning-in-our-ears-that-we-ame_206508.jpg) > “Some are dinning in our ears that we Americans, and moderns generally, are intellectual dwarfs compared with the ancients, or eventhe Elizabethan men. But what is that to the purpose? A living dog is better than a dead lion. Shall a man go and hang himself because he belongs to the race of pygmies, and not be the biggest pygmy that he can? Let every one mind his own business, and endeavor to be what he was made.” [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. We should not be ashamed of our limited intellect compared to the past; instead, embrace our own strengths and live authentically. **In simple terms:** Accept your limits, live true to yourself. Key Takeaway Focus on personal purpose, not comparison. Themes self‑acceptance authenticity individualism Mood reflective determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal growth - creative projects - overcoming inferiority complex Key Concepts existentialism humanism Questions to Reflect On - What unique strengths can you cultivate today? - How does embracing your own path reduce fear of inadequacy? A Different Perspective Comparing to historic giants can breed paralysis and self‑doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Elizabethan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elizabethan/) [Endeavor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endeavor/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lions/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Own business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own-business/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [“Some are dining in our ears that we Americans, and moderns generally, are intellectual dwarfs compared with the ancients, or even the Elizabethan men.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/some-are-dining-in-our-ears-that-we-americans-and-moderns-generally/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Prison does strange things to men. Although its purpose is to break the free spirit of a man, in many cases it just adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-powell/prison-does-strange-things-to-men-although-its-purpose-is-to-break/) [William Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-powell/) > [“Most men have no purpose but to exist, Abraham; to pass quietly through history as minor characters upon a stage they cannot even see.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/most-men-have-no-purpose-but-to-exist-abraham-to-pass-quietly-through-2/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [Aristocracy: A combination of many powerful men, for the purpose of maintaining their own particular interests. It is consequently a concentration of all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/aristocracy-a-combination-of-many-powerful-men-for-the-purpose-of/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [Most men have no purpose but to exist, Abraham; to pass quietly through history as minor characters upon a stage they cannot even see](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/most-men-have-no-purpose-but-to-exist-abraham-to-pass-quietly-through/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [The important thing is that men should have a purpose in life. It should be something useful, something good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-important-thing-is-that-men-should-have-a-purpose-in-life-it/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Men had no purpose on earth whereas women were gods walking unrecognized among them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/men-had-no-purpose-on-earth-whereas-women-were-gods-walking/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [Remember blessed children of men that the purpose of the real science should be to increase the happiness and to free the race from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/count-of-st-germain/remember-blessed-children-of-men-that-the-purpose-of-the-real-science/) Count of St. Germain > [“It should be understood that it was not necessary for God to redeem men. The purpose to redeem is of the free and sovereign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-murray/it-should-be-understood-that-it-was-not-necessary-for-god-to-redeem/) [John Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-murray/) > [“Once you start dating men with purpose instead of swag you'll become a wife on purpose”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazeem-akintilo/once-you-start-dating-men-with-purpose-instead-of-swag-you-ll-become/) Kazeem Akintilo > [A grateful dog is better than an ungrateful man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/a-grateful-dog-is-better-than-an-ungrateful-man/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [After you work out, you have your dog with you. There's no better companion. You've got to have a friend. I didn't like opponents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-foreman/after-you-work-out-you-have-your-dog-with-you-there-s-no-better/) [George Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-foreman/) > [The implication of AKC registration is that a dog who has it is better than a dog who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hanff-korelitz/the-implication-of-akc-registration-is-that-a-dog-who-has-it-is/) [Jean Hanff Korelitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hanff-korelitz/) > [I think the unconditional love you get from an animal, especially a dog, is better than anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-lambert/i-think-the-unconditional-love-you-get-from-an-animal-especially-a/) [Miranda Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-lambert/) > [The man who gets bit twice by the same dog is better adapted for that kind of business than any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/the-man-who-gets-bit-twice-by-the-same-dog-is-better-adapted-for-that/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) ## 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 Dog quotes > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [It is a fool of a shepherd who culls his dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-smith/it-is-a-fool-of-a-shepherd-who-culls-his-dogs/) [Jefferson Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-smith/) > [“Flattery looks like friendship, just like a wolf looks like a dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/flattery-looks-like-friendship-just-like-a-wolf-looks-like-a-dog/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [A shoe dog is somebody that really loves shoes, and that was me. I was a runner... that became important to me, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-knight/a-shoe-dog-is-somebody-that-really-loves-shoes-and-that-was-me-i-was/) [Phil Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-knight/) > [“I rub the ears of my dog, my stupid goddam ruddy great dog that I never wanted but who hung around anyway and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-rub-the-ears-of-my-dog-my-stupid-goddam-ruddy-great-dog-that-i/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [The sound man, immune as to a sacrifice of straw dogs, faces the passing human generations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-sound-man-immune-as-to-a-sacrifice-of-straw-dogs-faces-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [ “A hasty dog always burns his mouth. \[192\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-t-plaatje/a-hasty-dog-always-burns-his-mouth-192/) [Sol T. Plaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-t-plaatje/) > [And if the big dog ain't me, then the house won't get guarded - period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-if-the-big-dog-ain-t-me-then-the-house-won-t-get-guarded-period/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [“A year-long study by the University of Pennsylvania, ending in 2009 and published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science (Elsevier), showed that aggressive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-custo/a-year-long-study-by-the-university-of-pennsylvania-ending-in-2009/) Edward Custo [Browse all 6,836 Dog quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some are dinning in our ears that we Americans, and moderns generally, are intellectual dwarfs compared with the ancients, or eventhe Elizabethan men. But what is that to the purpose? A living dog is better than a dead lion. Shall a man go and hang himself because he belongs to the race of pygmies, and not be the biggest pygmy that he can? Let every one mind his own business, and endeavor to be what he was made.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/some-are-dinning-in-our-ears-that-we-americans-and-moderns-generally/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dog" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/some-are-dinning-in-our-ears-that-we-americans-and-moderns-generally/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/henry-david-thoreau-20_dog_some-are-dinning-in-our-ears-that-we-ame_206508.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/henry-david-thoreau-20_dog_some-are-dinning-in-our-ears-that-we-ame_206508.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/henry-david-thoreau-20_dog_some-are-dinning-in-our-ears-that-we-ame_206508.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Some are dinning in our ears that we Americans, and moderns generally, are intellectual dwarfs compared with…” — 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": "Some are dinning in our ears...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/some-are-dinning-in-our-ears-that-we-americans-and-moderns-generally/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/some-are-dinning-in-our-ears-that-we-americans-and-moderns-generally/#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 } } ] } ```