--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The universe seems bankrupt as soon as we…" description: "\"The universe seems bankrupt as soon as we begin to discuss the characters of individuals.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/henry-david-thoreau-20_bankrupt_the-universe-seems-bankrupt-as-soon-as-w_2957650.jpg" --- # The universe seems bankrupt as soon as we begin to discuss… ![“The universe seems bankrupt as soon as we begin to discuss the characters of individuals.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/henry-david-thoreau-20_bankrupt_the-universe-seems-bankrupt-as-soon-as-w_2957650.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/henry-david-thoreau-20_bankrupt_the-universe-seems-bankrupt-as-soon-as-w_2957650.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/henry-david-thoreau-20_bankrupt_the-universe-seems-bankrupt-as-soon-as-w_2957650.jpg) > “The universe seems bankrupt as soon as we begin to discuss the characters of individuals.” [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. When we try to define people by their traits, we reduce the richness of humanity to a shallow inventory. **In simple terms:** Defining people by traits oversimplifies humanity. Key Takeaway Value individuals beyond labels. Themes individuality humanity complexity Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - personal relationships - team building - education - community discussions Key Concepts Existentialism social psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you see the whole person beyond labels? - What risks arise from stereotyping? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on categorization can ignore context and nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [“Considering how much we are all given to discuss the characters of others, and discuss them often not in the strictest spirit of charity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/considering-how-much-we-are-all-given-to-discuss-the-characters-of-2/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [“They discuss the characters as though they were living people, and ask frequently, 'What happened to so-and-so?'... as if I got letters from them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/they-discuss-the-characters-as-though-they-were-living-people-and-ask/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I always ask my actors with whom they'd like to work. Before shooting we discuss how their characters are supposed to have sex. Everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-lust/i-always-ask-my-actors-with-whom-they-d-like-to-work-before-shooting/) Erika Lust > [Considering how much we are all given to discuss the characters of others, and discuss them often not in the strictest spirit of charity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/considering-how-much-we-are-all-given-to-discuss-the-characters-of/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Fiction is an easy way to talk about issues: I think it feels less preachy. You can have the students discuss characters in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/fiction-is-an-easy-way-to-talk-about-issues-i-think-it-feels-less/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [There is an old saying, "How did you go bankrupt?" And the answer is, "Gradually, and then suddenly." The impending fiscal crisis in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/there-is-an-old-saying-how-did-you-go-bankrupt-and-the-answer-is/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Every city and town in America would be bankrupt if they kept their books the way private-sector companies keep their books - because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/every-city-and-town-in-america-would-be-bankrupt-if-they-kept-their/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [ Not every company went bankrupt. Not every bank needed TARP \[Troubled Asset Relief Program\]. So I'm very proud that JPMorgan, throughout that time period,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/not-every-company-went-bankrupt-not-every-bank-needed-tarp-troubled/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [Its bad when men have money for cars, rims , shoes and etc. But when it comes to feeding their child or supporting their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kale-bell/its-bad-when-men-have-money-for-cars-rims-shoes-and-etc-but-when-it/) [Kale Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kale-bell/) > [I've developed a lot of reform proposals myself and been accused of trying to destroy Social Security, when the whole point was to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/i-ve-developed-a-lot-of-reform-proposals-myself-and-been-accused-of/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [I have never gone bankrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-have-never-gone-bankrupt/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The worst bankrupt in the world is the man who has lost his enthusiasm. Let a man lose everything else in the world, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-arnold/the-worst-bankrupt-in-the-world-is-the-man-who-has-lost-his/) William Howard Arnold > [Sarcasm is the last refuge of the imaginatively bankrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/sarcasm-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-imaginatively-bankrupt/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“The single best predictor that a family would go bankrupt was if they had a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-single-best-predictor-that-a-family-would-go-bankrupt-was-if-they/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [“Forcing new loans upon the bankrupt on condition that they shrink their income is nothing short of cruel and unusual punishment. Greece was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanis-varoufakis/forcing-new-loans-upon-the-bankrupt-on-condition-that-they-shrink/) [Yanis Varoufakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanis-varoufakis/) ## 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 Bankrupt quotes > [“Forcing new loans upon the bankrupt on condition that they shrink their income is nothing short of cruel and unusual punishment. Greece was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanis-varoufakis/forcing-new-loans-upon-the-bankrupt-on-condition-that-they-shrink/) [Yanis Varoufakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanis-varoufakis/) > [“The single best predictor that a family would go bankrupt was if they had a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-single-best-predictor-that-a-family-would-go-bankrupt-was-if-they/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [Sarcasm is the last refuge of the imaginatively bankrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/sarcasm-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-imaginatively-bankrupt/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The worst bankrupt in the world is the man who has lost his enthusiasm. Let a man lose everything else in the world, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-arnold/the-worst-bankrupt-in-the-world-is-the-man-who-has-lost-his/) William Howard Arnold > [I have never gone bankrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-have-never-gone-bankrupt/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I've developed a lot of reform proposals myself and been accused of trying to destroy Social Security, when the whole point was to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/i-ve-developed-a-lot-of-reform-proposals-myself-and-been-accused-of/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [Its bad when men have money for cars, rims , shoes and etc. But when it comes to feeding their child or supporting their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kale-bell/its-bad-when-men-have-money-for-cars-rims-shoes-and-etc-but-when-it/) [Kale Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kale-bell/) > [ Not every company went bankrupt. Not every bank needed TARP \[Troubled Asset Relief Program\]. So I'm very proud that JPMorgan, throughout that time period,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/not-every-company-went-bankrupt-not-every-bank-needed-tarp-troubled/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [Every city and town in America would be bankrupt if they kept their books the way private-sector companies keep their books - because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/every-city-and-town-in-america-would-be-bankrupt-if-they-kept-their/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [There is an old saying, "How did you go bankrupt?" And the answer is, "Gradually, and then suddenly." The impending fiscal crisis in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/there-is-an-old-saying-how-did-you-go-bankrupt-and-the-answer-is/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Let us not bankrupt our todays by paying interest on the regrets of yesterday and by borrowing in advance the troubles of tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-w-sockman-2/let-us-not-bankrupt-our-todays-by-paying-interest-on-the-regrets-of/) Ralph W. Sockman > [“Why is this such a well-kept secret? The core issue is that we don't believe we're still spiritually "bankrupt." Having come into God's kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/why-is-this-such-a-well-kept-secret-the-core-issue-is-that-we-don-t/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [I was spiritually bankrupt, and when that happens, it's like a spiritual cancer afflicts you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/i-was-spiritually-bankrupt-and-when-that-happens-it-s-like-a/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [“Millions of business people are each constantly forced to choose between their desire to not be a bad person and their desire to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/millions-of-business-people-are-each-constantly-forced-to-choose/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“I’m bankrupt without love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/i-m-bankrupt-without-love/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) Browse all 144 Bankrupt quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The universe seems bankrupt as soon as we begin to discuss the characters of individuals.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-universe-seems-bankrupt-as-soon-as-we-begin-to-discuss-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bankrupt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-universe-seems-bankrupt-as-soon-as-we-begin-to-discuss-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/henry-david-thoreau-20_bankrupt_the-universe-seems-bankrupt-as-soon-as-w_2957650.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/henry-david-thoreau-20_bankrupt_the-universe-seems-bankrupt-as-soon-as-w_2957650.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/henry-david-thoreau-20_bankrupt_the-universe-seems-bankrupt-as-soon-as-w_2957650.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The universe seems bankrupt as soon as we begin to discuss the characters of individuals.” — 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": "The universe seems bankrupt as soon...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-universe-seems-bankrupt-as-soon-as-we-begin-to-discuss-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-universe-seems-bankrupt-as-soon-as-we-begin-to-discuss-the/#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 } } ] } ```