--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Capacity for the nobler feelings is in…" description: "\"“Capacity for the nobler feelings is in most natures a very tender plant, easily killed, not only by hostile influences, but by mere want of sustenance..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-stuart-mill-477_life_capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-m_2224544.jpg" --- # Capacity for the nobler feelings is in most natures a very… ![“Capacity for the nobler feelings is in most natures a very tender plant, easily killed, not only by hostile influences, but by mere want of sustenance; and in the majority of young persons it speedily dies away if the occupations to which their position in life has devoted them, and the society…” quote by John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-stuart-mill-477_life_capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-m_2224544.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-stuart-mill-477_life_capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-m_2224544.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-stuart-mill-477_life_capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-m_2224544.jpg) > ““Capacity for the nobler feelings is in most natures a very tender plant, easily killed, not only by hostile influences, but by mere want of sustenance; and in the majority of young persons it speedily dies away if the occupations to which their position in life has devoted them, and the society into which it has thrown them, are not favourable to keeping that higher capacity in exercise. Men lose their high aspirations as they lose their intellectual tastes, because they have not time or opportunity for indulging them; and they addict themselves to inferior pleasures, not because they deliberately prefer them, but because they are either the only ones to which they have access, or the only ones which they are any longer capable of enjoying.”” [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Higher moral feelings are delicate and can with easily if not nurtured by supportive environments and intellectual pursuits. **In simple terms:** Noble feelings need care and stimulation to survive. Key Takeaway Cultivate supportive settings and intellectual habits. Themes educationivation intellectual growth environment self‑development Mood reflective concerned Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - Education - career choices - social circles - leisure activities Key Concepts Moral psychology human nature social influence Questions to Reflect On - How can society provide nurturing environments for all? - What personal habits sustain higher aspirations? A Different Perspective If one lacks access to enriching experiences, the capacity may with irreversibly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“Capacity for the nobler feelings is in most natures a very tender plant, easily killed, not only by hostile influences, but by mere want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-most-natures-a-very-tender/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [I have so many goals and aspirations that sometimes I lose myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-carpenter/i-have-so-many-goals-and-aspirations-that-sometimes-i-lose-myself/) [Sabrina Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-carpenter/) > [The main symptom of falling in love is that you lose your intellectual prowess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/the-main-symptom-of-falling-in-love-is-that-you-lose-your/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Those who are successfully to lead their fellow-men, should have once possessed the nobler feelings. 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Men lose their high aspirations as they lose their intellectual tastes, because they have not time or opportunity for indulging them; and they addict themselves to inferior pleasures, not because they deliberately prefer them, but because they are either the only ones to which they have access, or the only ones which they are any longer capable of enjoying.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Stuart Mill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-most-natures-a-very-tender-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-most-natures-a-very-tender-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-stuart-mill-477_life_capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-m_2224544.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-stuart-mill-477_life_capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-m_2224544.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-stuart-mill-477_life_capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-m_2224544.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Capacity for the nobler feelings is in most natures a very tender plant, easily killed, not only by hostile…” — John Stuart Mill", "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": "John Stuart Mill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Capacity for the nobler feelings is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-most-natures-a-very-tender-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/capacity-for-the-nobler-feelings-is-in-most-natures-a-very-tender-2/#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 } } ] } ```