Acres Quote by Jean de la Bruyere
“I call worldly or earthly those whose minds and hearts are fixed on a tiny portion of this world they live in, which is our earth; who respect and love nothing beyond it: people as limited as what they call their property or their estate, which can be measured, whose acres can be counted, whose boundaries can be shown.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Les Caractères, 1688
The quote warns against a narrow, materialistic worldview that values only tangible possessions and neglects broader humanity.
In simple terms: Focus on material things limits understanding of the world.
Key Takeaway
Broaden your perspective beyond possessions.
Themes
materialism
limited perspective
humanity
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- education
- community building
- environmental stewardship
Key Concepts
philosophy
ethics
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How does focusing on possessions affect your relationships?
- What can you value beyond material wealth?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook the necessity of material security for survival.
![“The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. [Fr., La cour est comme un edifice bati de marbre; je veux dire qu'elle est composee d'hommes fort durs mais fort polis.]” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fcf/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_built_the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marb_77288.jpg)
![“[Footnote:] Pliny the Elder described a Whale called "Balaena or Whirlpool, which is so long and broad as to take up more in length and breadth than two acres of ground." This brings up again the old question: Are the classics doomed? Our ancestors believed that four years of this sort of…” quote by Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1c1/will-cuppy-7569_acres_footnote-pliny-the-elder-described-a-wha_84284.jpg)
