--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Contented, unambitious people are all…" description: "\"Contented, unambitious people are all very well in their way. They form a neat, useful background for great portraits to be painted against, and they m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/769/jerome-k-jerome-1155_active_contented-unambitious-people-are-all-ver_2154046.jpg" --- # Contented, unambitious people are all very well in their… ![“Contented, unambitious people are all very well in their way. They form a neat, useful background for great portraits to be painted against, and they make a respectable, if not particularly intelligent, audience for the active spirits of the age to play before. I have not a word to say against…” quote by Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/769/jerome-k-jerome-1155_active_contented-unambitious-people-are-all-ver_2154046.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/769/jerome-k-jerome-1155_active_contented-unambitious-people-are-all-ver_2154046.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/769/jerome-k-jerome-1155_active_contented-unambitious-people-are-all-ver_2154046.jpg) > “Contented, unambitious people are all very well in their way. They form a neat, useful background for great portraits to be painted against, and they make a respectable, if not particularly intelligent, audience for the active spirits of the age to play before. I have not a word to say against contented people so long as they keep quiet.” [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Contented, passive people serve as background for dynamic individuals; they are useful but not intellectually stimulating. **In simple terms:** Quiet people are background. Key Takeaway Value active contributors over passive ones. Themes contentment passivity social dynamics Mood contemplative critical Type observational analytical When to use this quote - artistic settings - public speaking events - team projects - media productions Key Concepts background roles audience perception active vs passive contrast Questions to Reflect On - When is quiet support valuable? - How can passive individuals become more engaged? A Different Perspective Passive acceptance may limit societal progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [“Contented, unambitious people are all very well in their way. They form a neat, useful background for great portraits to be painted against, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/contented-unambitious-people-are-all-very-well-in-their-way-they-form/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [We always say we're contented with the ones we love because he/she doesn't make any mistakes with us yet, but when the time comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janjan-zano/we-always-say-we-re-contented-with-the-ones-we-love-because-he-she/) JanJan Zano > [Progress is not created by contented people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-tyger/progress-is-not-created-by-contented-people/) [Frank Tyger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-tyger/) > [When you are contented with what you have, people may even think you have more than what you really have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/when-you-are-contented-with-what-you-have-people-may-even-think-you/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [I sort of feel that the role of a portrait in society is to represent the sitters, we see paintings of Shakespeare and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kassan/i-sort-of-feel-that-the-role-of-a-portrait-in-society-is-to-represent/) [David Kassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kassan/) > [The happiest and most contented people are those who each day perform to make the best of their abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/the-happiest-and-most-contented-people-are-those-who-each-day-perform/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [The rapid growth of industry, the ever increasing population and the imperative need for more varied, wholesome and nourishing foodstuff makes it all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington-carver/the-rapid-growth-of-industry-the-ever-increasing-population-and-the/) [George Washington Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington-carver/) > [The people no longer seek consolation in art. But the refined people, the rich, the idlers seek the new, the extraordinary, the extravagant, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/the-people-no-longer-seek-consolation-in-art-but-the-refined-people/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [The dairy man had a Ph.D. in mathematics, and he must have had some training in philosophy. He liked what he was doing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-dairy-man-had-a-ph-d-in-mathematics-and-he-must-have-had-some/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [If you are foolish enough to be contented, don't show it, but grumble with the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/if-you-are-foolish-enough-to-be-contented-don-t-show-it-but-grumble-2/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“In my experience people are rarely contented to end up where they started.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/in-my-experience-people-are-rarely-contented-to-end-up-where-they/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [We must be contented to amuse, when we cannot inform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-must-be-contented-to-amuse-when-we-cannot-inform/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The contented person is never poor; the discontented is never rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-contented-person-is-never-poor-the-discontented-is-never-rich/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For me, I would rather read a good book, from a contented author. I don't really care what it takes to produce that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/for-me-i-would-rather-read-a-good-book-from-a-contented-author-i-don/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I may never be good enough for everybody. But I'll always be the best for someone who's contented to have me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-may-never-be-good-enough-for-everybody-but-i-ll-always-be-the-best/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jerome K. Jerome > [“George goes to sleep at a bank from ten to four each day, except Saturdays, when they wake him up and put him outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/george-goes-to-sleep-at-a-bank-from-ten-to-four-each-day-except/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“He would use a bit of string this time, and at the critical moment, when the old fool was leaning over the chair at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/he-would-use-a-bit-of-string-this-time-and-at-the-critical-moment/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [Some people are under the impression that all that is required to make a good fisherman is the ability to tell lies easily and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/some-people-are-under-the-impression-that-all-that-is-required-to/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [It is easy enough to say that poverty is no crime. No; if it were men wouldn't be ashamed of it. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/it-is-easy-enough-to-say-that-poverty-is-no-crime-no-if-it-were-men/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [Love is woman's business,and in "business" we all lay aside our natural weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/love-is-woman-s-business-and-in-business-we-all-lay-aside-our-natural/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [We are but the veriest, sorriest slaves of our stomach. Reach not after morality and righteousness, my friends; watch vigilantly your stomach, and diet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/we-are-but-the-veriest-sorriest-slaves-of-our-stomach-reach-not-after/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“There was no ground-floor — its ground-floor belonged to a house in the next court, and the front door opened direct upon a flight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/there-was-no-ground-floor-its-ground-floor-belonged-to-a-house-in-the/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“I can understand the ignorant masses loving to soak themselves in drink—oh, yes, it's very shocking that they should, of course—very shocking to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/i-can-understand-the-ignorant-masses-loving-to-soak-themselves-in/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [ They \[dogs\] never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/they-dogs-never-talk-about-themselves-but-listen-to-you-while-you/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“And we sit there, by its margin, while the moon, who loves it too, stoops down to kiss it with a sister’s kiss, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/and-we-sit-there-by-its-margin-while-the-moon-who-loves-it-too-stoops/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“The only feeling that a closer intimacy has created in him for his wife is that of indulgent contempt. As there is no equality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/the-only-feeling-that-a-closer-intimacy-has-created-in-him-for-his/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [Evil thought is a dangerous pet. It is safer to play with it from behind the iron bars of circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/evil-thought-is-a-dangerous-pet-it-is-safer-to-play-with-it-from/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [If you are foolish enough to be contented, don't show it, but grumble with the rest; and if you can do with a little,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/if-you-are-foolish-enough-to-be-contented-don-t-show-it-but-grumble/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [Life will always remain a gamble, with prizes sometimes for the imprudent, and blanks so often to the wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/life-will-always-remain-a-gamble-with-prizes-sometimes-for-the/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“You can never rouse Harris. There is no poetry about Harris- no wild yearning for the unattainable. Harris never "weeps, he knows not why."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/you-can-never-rouse-harris-there-is-no-poetry-about-harris-no-wild/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) [Explore all 267 Jerome K. Jerome quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) ## More Active quotes > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [we need not avoid our active lives, but simply bring to them a new vision and shift of gravity. for in the center we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-need-not-avoid-our-active-lives-but-simply-bring-to-them-a-new/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I eat healthy most of the time. Whole foods are the best for you when you are super active, so I get plenty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witney-carson/i-eat-healthy-most-of-the-time-whole-foods-are-the-best-for-you-when/) [Witney Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witney-carson/) > [Art shows us how to see things that are constructive and good, and to be an active part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/art-shows-us-how-to-see-things-that-are-constructive-and-good-and-to/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Love, like truth and beauty, is concrete. Love is not fundamentally a sweet feeling; not, at heart, a matter of sentiment, attachment, or being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-heyward/love-like-truth-and-beauty-is-concrete-love-is-not-fundamentally-a/) [Carter Heyward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-heyward/) > [Studying Sol's interior by looking for analogous patterns on its incandescent face is known as helioseismology, an active - if largely unpronounceable - research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/studying-sol-s-interior-by-looking-for-analogous-patterns-on-its/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [I stayed in L.A. long enough to get on my feet, and then I moved back to New York. The reason I moved here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-stayed-in-l-a-long-enough-to-get-on-my-feet-and-then-i-moved-back/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [The answer to any challenge you are having has nothing to do with God's willingness to help. It has to do with your acceptance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/the-answer-to-any-challenge-you-are-having-has-nothing-to-do-with-god/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [Pete Townsend for me was a huge influence. Because essentially they were a three-piece band and the way he structured his chords and took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lifeson/pete-townsend-for-me-was-a-huge-influence-because-essentially-they/) [Alex Lifeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lifeson/) > [There is an enemy. There is an intelligent, active, malign force working against us. Step one is to recognize this. This recognition alone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/there-is-an-enemy-there-is-an-intelligent-active-malign-force-working/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Few, if any, creatures are equally active all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/few-if-any-creatures-are-equally-active-all-night/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You need to enjoy yourself and just get into the routine of keeping fit and enjoying being active. That's always easier once you've made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-brownlee/you-need-to-enjoy-yourself-and-just-get-into-the-routine-of-keeping/) [Alistair Brownlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-brownlee/) Browse all 2,212 Active quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Contented, unambitious people are all very well in their way. They form a neat, useful background for great portraits to be painted against, and they make a respectable, if not particularly intelligent, audience for the active spirits of the age to play before. I have not a word to say against contented people so long as they keep quiet.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jerome K. 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