--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The value of a man is not in his skin…" description: "\"“The value of a man is not in his skin, that we should touch him.”\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/henry-david-thoreau-20_touch_the-value-of-a-man-is-not-in-his-skin-th_2324067.jpg" --- # The value of a man is not in his skin, that we should… ![“The value of a man is not in his skin, that we should touch him.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/henry-david-thoreau-20_touch_the-value-of-a-man-is-not-in-his-skin-th_2324067.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/henry-david-thoreau-20_touch_the-value-of-a-man-is-not-in-his-skin-th_2324067.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/henry-david-thoreau-20_touch_the-value-of-a-man-is-not-in-his-skin-th_2324067.jpg) > ““The value of a man is not in his skin, that we should touch him.”” [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. He argues that a man's worth lies beyond appearance; we should value inner character. **In simple terms:** True value is in character, not skin. Key Takeaway Judge people by actions, not looks. Themes ethics human dignity identity Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - hiring practices - community building - personal relationships Key Concepts character assessment social equality Questions to Reflect On - How do you practice seeing beyond appearances? - What systems can reduce bias based on looks? A Different Perspective Societal focus on superficial traits persists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value/) ## Related quotes > [Yeah, your skin, the touch. The kiss, the rush too much and here it comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-wanted/yeah-your-skin-the-touch-the-kiss-the-rush-too-much-and-here-it-comes/) [The Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-wanted/) > [“How are you going to react when we 're this close and you take off my shirt? Are you still going to want me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/how-are-you-going-to-react-when-we-re-this-close-and-you-take-off-my/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [“I think charity is like putting a plaster on a man with no skin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-brooks/i-think-charity-is-like-putting-a-plaster-on-a-man-with-no-skin/) [Ben Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-brooks/) > [I love the smell of a man's skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-courtney-sullivan/i-love-the-smell-of-a-man-s-skin/) [J. Courtney Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-courtney-sullivan/) > [Learn to know every man under you, get under his skin, know his faults. Then cater to him - with kindness or roughness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/learn-to-know-every-man-under-you-get-under-his-skin-know-his-faults/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [The Value of a man is not measured by what he does for himself to make his life easier, But, measured by what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-e-thomas/the-value-of-a-man-is-not-measured-by-what-he-does-for-himself-to/) Eric E Thomas > [“Women would rather share a high value Man than be saddled with a faithful loser.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-tomassi/women-would-rather-share-a-high-value-man-than-be-saddled-with-a/) [Rollo Tomassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-tomassi/) > [“And if you could just go and buy everything, what was the value of it? What was the value of a man?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/and-if-you-could-just-go-and-buy-everything-what-was-the-value-of-it/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-value-of-a-man-resides-in-what-he-gives-and-not-in-what-he-is/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Nothing, it appears to me, is of greater value in a man than the power of judgment; and the man who has it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-aretino/nothing-it-appears-to-me-is-of-greater-value-in-a-man-than-the-power/) [Pietro Aretino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-aretino/) > [“It is unfortunate that many people today cannot appreciate the value that every man possesses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/it-is-unfortunate-that-many-people-today-cannot-appreciate-the-value/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Vanity is a mortgage that must be deducted from the value of a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/vanity-is-a-mortgage-that-must-be-deducted-from-the-value-of-a-man/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-value-of-a-man-should-be-seen-in-what-he-gives-and-not-in-what-he/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“We are the Edema Ruh, and the thing we value most every man possesses. You can tell us your story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/we-are-the-edema-ruh-and-the-thing-we-value-most-every-man-possesses/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [The value of a man resides in what he gives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-value-of-a-man-resides-in-what-he-gives/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## 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 Touch quotes > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [Music is real; it's something you can touch and feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bijou-phillips/music-is-real-it-s-something-you-can-touch-and-feel/) [Bijou Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bijou-phillips/) > [“Rather than see me or have me touch it again, it died.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/rather-than-see-me-or-have-me-touch-it-again-it-died/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [A lot of my work involves instilling objects with the power of touch - a transference of soul, spirit, energy through actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-colen/a-lot-of-my-work-involves-instilling-objects-with-the-power-of-touch/) [Dan Colen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-colen/) > [ Couple Wet Wipes in Case a \[ B U M \] tryna' touch me ;) ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/couple-wet-wipes-in-case-a-b-u-m-tryna-touch-me/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [I went through a period when I was perceived as being a soft touch, somebody who moves over, who is not hungry enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-coulthard/i-went-through-a-period-when-i-was-perceived-as-being-a-soft-touch/) [David Coulthard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-coulthard/) > [“Who are you?” I whispered, leaning forward and reaching across the table to touch his sternly gorgeous face, almost afraid he’d disappear beneath my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-connors/who-are-you-i-whispered-leaning-forward-and-reaching-across-the-table/) [Lucy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-connors/) > [“Your fingerprints never fade from the people you touch”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-l-hewitt/your-fingerprints-never-fade-from-the-people-you-touch/) B.L. Hewitt > [“Happy is very abstract, you can't touch it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-veal/happy-is-very-abstract-you-can-t-touch-it/) [Julius Veal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-veal/) > [“If I could touch anything in the world right now, it would be your heart. I want to take that piece of you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-verday/if-i-could-touch-anything-in-the-world-right-now-it-would-be-your/) [Jessica Verday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-verday/) > [You know, there's a tremendous amount of genetic propensity not necessarily for what TV shows you like but for literally how you view the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayim-bialik/you-know-there-s-a-tremendous-amount-of-genetic-propensity-not/) [Mayim Bialik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayim-bialik/) > [“If he touches me, I will succumb. I know the power he wields over me and my traitorous body. I know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james/if-he-touches-me-i-will-succumb-i-know-the-power-he-wields-over-me/) [E.L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james/) > [“Americans’ reputation for friendliness is the absence of physicality. In the United States, no one ever touches anyone else and if they do so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/americans-reputation-for-friendliness-is-the-absence-of-physicality/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [Everything you do off the pitch always shows so you have to work on yourself physically as well, it's not just working on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-bellerin/everything-you-do-off-the-pitch-always-shows-so-you-have-to-work-on/) [Hector Bellerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-bellerin/) > [There are a lot of people out there that you can touch their heart by playing basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-dudley/there-are-a-lot-of-people-out-there-that-you-can-touch-their-heart-by/) [Jared Dudley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-dudley/) Browse all 1,914 Touch quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The value of a man is not in his skin, that we should touch him.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-value-of-a-man-is-not-in-his-skin-that-we-should-touch-him/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Touch" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-value-of-a-man-is-not-in-his-skin-that-we-should-touch-him/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/henry-david-thoreau-20_touch_the-value-of-a-man-is-not-in-his-skin-th_2324067.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/henry-david-thoreau-20_touch_the-value-of-a-man-is-not-in-his-skin-th_2324067.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/henry-david-thoreau-20_touch_the-value-of-a-man-is-not-in-his-skin-th_2324067.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The value of a man is not in his skin, that we should touch him.” — 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 value of a man is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-value-of-a-man-is-not-in-his-skin-that-we-should-touch-him/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-value-of-a-man-is-not-in-his-skin-that-we-should-touch-him/#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 } } ] } ```