--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To those who have neither public nor…" description: "\"“To those who have neither public nor private affections, the excitements of life are much curtailed, and in any case dwindle in value as the time appr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/john-stuart-mill-477_affections_to-those-who-have-neither-public-nor-pri_2805265.jpg" --- # To those who have neither public nor private affections… ![“To those who have neither public nor private affections, the excitements of life are much curtailed, and in any case dwindle in value as the time approaches when all selfish interests must be terminated by death: while those who leave after them objects of personal affection, and especially those…” quote by John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/john-stuart-mill-477_affections_to-those-who-have-neither-public-nor-pri_2805265.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/john-stuart-mill-477_affections_to-those-who-have-neither-public-nor-pri_2805265.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/john-stuart-mill-477_affections_to-those-who-have-neither-public-nor-pri_2805265.jpg) > ““To those who have neither public nor private affections, the excitements of life are much curtailed, and in any case dwindle in value as the time approaches when all selfish interests must be terminated by death: while those who leave after them objects of personal affection, and especially those who have also cultivated a fellow-feeling with the collective interests of mankind, retain as lively an interest in life on the eve of death as in the vigour of youth and health.”” [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. Those without personal or public affection find life less meaningful, while those with cultivated empathy retain vigor even near death. **In simple terms:** Affection gives life meaning and vigor. Key Takeaway Foster personal and collective empathy. Themes ethics humanism longevity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - community service - relationship building - philanthropy Key Concepts empathy social bonds Questions to Reflect On - How does empathy affect your outlook on mortality? - What ways can you deepen collective affection? A Different Perspective Neglecting self‑interest may cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection Especially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection-especially-3479207/) [Affections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affections/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Interest in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest-in-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Personal Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-affection-910048/) [Private Affections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-affections-3479206/) [Selfish Interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish-interests-595673/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Personal affection is a luxury you can have only after all your enemies are eliminated. Until then, everyone you love is a hostage, sapping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/personal-affection-is-a-luxury-you-can-have-only-after-all-your-2/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Personal affection is a luxury you can have only after all your enemies are eliminated. Until then, everyone you love is a hostage, sapping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/personal-affection-is-a-luxury-you-can-have-only-after-all-your/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [If your actions are motivated by selfish interests rather than God, you are mortgaging tomorrow's joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-b-joshua/if-your-actions-are-motivated-by-selfish-interests-rather-than-god/) [T. B. Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-b-joshua/) > [Advertising is the place where the selfish interests of the manufacturer coincide with the interests of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/advertising-is-the-place-where-the-selfish-interests-of-the/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Our Savior gave Himself in unselfish service. He taught that each of us should follow Him by denying ourselves of selfish interests in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/our-savior-gave-himself-in-unselfish-service-he-taught-that-each-of/) [Dallin H. 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It's just human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-wexner/i-think-it-s-good-to-have-your-own-selfish-interests-whether-it-s/) [Les Wexner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-wexner/) > [How soon the labor of men would make a paradise of the earth were it not for misgovernment and a diversion of his energies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/how-soon-the-labor-of-men-would-make-a-paradise-of-the-earth-were-it/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Across the centuries the moral systems from medival chivalry to Bruce Springsteen love anthems have worked the same basic way. They take immediate selfish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/across-the-centuries-the-moral-systems-from-medival-chivalry-to-bruce/) [david brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [It can be rebuilt if other countries with selfish interests will not meddle, as has been done in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bulent-ecevit/it-can-be-rebuilt-if-other-countries-with-selfish-interests-will-not/) [Bulent Ecevit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bulent-ecevit/) > [Economics is haunted by more fallacies than any other study known to man. This is no accident. The inherent difficulties of the subject would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/economics-is-haunted-by-more-fallacies-than-any-other-study-known-to/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [“Adam Smith expanded on this notion by saying that a person pursing his own selfish interests may be “led by an invisible hand to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-masaki-flynn/adam-smith-expanded-on-this-notion-by-saying-that-a-person-pursing/) [Sean Masaki Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-masaki-flynn/) > [The marketplace obliges men, whether they will or not, in pursuing their own selfish interests, to connect the general good with their own individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-marketplace-obliges-men-whether-they-will-or-not-in-pursuing/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“Problems in 21st Century – 1 Well educated and rapidly communicated, looks as smart gentleman but practices the least Morals. 2 Globally communicated –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-t-v-rao-md/problems-in-21st-century-1-well-educated-and-rapidly-communicated/) [Dr.T.V.Rao MD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-t-v-rao-md/) > [“Economics is haunted by more fallacies than any other study known to man. This is no accident. The inherent difficulties of the subject would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/economics-is-haunted-by-more-fallacies-than-any-other-study-known-to-3/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) ## More by John Stuart Mill > [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Liberty lies in the rights of that person whose views you find most odious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/liberty-lies-in-the-rights-of-that-person-whose-views-you-find-most/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Truth emerges from the clash of adverse ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/truth-emerges-from-the-clash-of-adverse-ideas/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“No longer enslaved or made dependent by force of law, the great majority are so by force of poverty; they are still chained to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/no-longer-enslaved-or-made-dependent-by-force-of-law-the-great/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [All acts suppose certain dispositions, and habits of mind and heart, which may be in themselves states of enjoyment or of wretchedness, and which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-acts-suppose-certain-dispositions-and-habits-of-mind-and-heart/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Unfortunately for the good sense of mankind, the fact of their fallibility is far from carrying the weight in their practical judgement, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/unfortunately-for-the-good-sense-of-mankind-the-fact-of-their/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“In history, as in traveling, men usually see only what they already had in their own minds; and few learn much from history, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/in-history-as-in-traveling-men-usually-see-only-what-they-already-had/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [All errors which a man is likely to commit against advice are far outweighed by the evil of allowing others to constrain him for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-errors-which-a-man-is-likely-to-commit-against-advice-are-far/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Every great movement must experience three stages: ridicule, discussion, adoption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/every-great-movement-must-experience-three-stages-ridicule-discussion/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [The successful conduct of an industrial enterprise requires two quite distinct qualifications: fidelity and zeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-successful-conduct-of-an-industrial-enterprise-requires-two-quite/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [ “\[For people\] to refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/for-people-to-refuse-a-hearing-to-an-opinion-because-they-are-sure/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [This is what writers mean when they say that the notion of cause involves the idea of necessity. If there be any meaning which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/this-is-what-writers-mean-when-they-say-that-the-notion-of-cause/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“Protection, therefore, against tyranny of the magistrate is not enough: there needs protection also against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling; against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/protection-therefore-against-tyranny-of-the-magistrate-is-not-enough/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Landlords grow rich in their sleep without working, risking or economizing. The increase in the value of land, arising as it does from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/landlords-grow-rich-in-their-sleep-without-working-risking-or/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [There is one characteristic of the present direction of public opinion, peculiarly calculated to make it intolerant of any marked demonstration of individuality. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/there-is-one-characteristic-of-the-present-direction-of-public/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) [Explore all 524 John Stuart Mill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) ## More Affections quotes > [A difference of taste in jokes is a great strain on the affections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-difference-of-taste-in-jokes-is-a-great-strain-on-the-affections/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A woman's life is a history of the affections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/a-woman-s-life-is-a-history-of-the-affections/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [A woman's whole life is a history of the affections. - Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-woman-s-whole-life-is-a-history-of-the-affections-washington-irving/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A woman's whole life is a history of the affections. The heart is her world: it is there her ambition strives for empire; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/a-woman-s-whole-life-is-a-history-of-the-affections-the-heart-is-her/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [“Necessity is very often the mother of romance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sebag-montefiore/necessity-is-very-often-the-mother-of-romance/) [Simon Sebag Montefiore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sebag-montefiore/) > [When the affections so kindly break loose, Joy, is another name for Religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/when-the-affections-so-kindly-break-loose-joy-is-another-name-for/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [The principle we call self-love never seeks anything external for the sake of the thing, but only as a means of happiness or good:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/the-principle-we-call-self-love-never-seeks-anything-external-for-the/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [That is the great mistake about the affections. It is not the rise and fall of empires, the birth and death of kings, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/that-is-the-great-mistake-about-the-affections-it-is-not-the-rise-and/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [Virginians were no more angels or philanthropists than people to the north or to the south of them. They were moved by their affections,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sergeant-wise/virginians-were-no-more-angels-or-philanthropists-than-people-to-the/) [John Sergeant Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sergeant-wise/) > [I sometimes wish I had been educated a Catholic, in order to unite the poetry of religion with its higher principles. Are they necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fenimore-cooper/i-sometimes-wish-i-had-been-educated-a-catholic-in-order-to-unite-the/) [James Fenimore Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fenimore-cooper/) > [“Minimizing the importance of transformed feelings makes Christian conversion less supernatural and less radical. It is humanly manageable to make decisions of the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/minimizing-the-importance-of-transformed-feelings-makes-christian/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“This was how it was with travel: one city gives you gifts, another robs you. One gives you the heart’s affections, the other destroys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/this-was-how-it-was-with-travel-one-city-gives-you-gifts-another-robs/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [Humid seal of soft affections, Tend'rest pledge of future bliss, Dearest tie of young connections, Love's first snow-drop, virgin kiss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/humid-seal-of-soft-affections-tend-rest-pledge-of-future-bliss/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [“The affections are more reticent than the passions, and their expression more subtle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/the-affections-are-more-reticent-than-the-passions-and-their/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [Son, brother, father, lover, friend. There is room in the heart for all the affections, as there is room in heaven for all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/son-brother-father-lover-friend-there-is-room-in-the-heart-for-all/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) [Browse all 110 Affections quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affections/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To those who have neither public nor private affections, the excitements of life are much curtailed, and in any case dwindle in value as the time approaches when all selfish interests must be terminated by death: while those who leave after them objects of personal affection, and especially those who have also cultivated a fellow-feeling with the collective interests of mankind, retain as lively an interest in life on the eve of death as in the vigour of youth and health.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Stuart Mill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/to-those-who-have-neither-public-nor-private-affections-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affections" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/to-those-who-have-neither-public-nor-private-affections-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/john-stuart-mill-477_affections_to-those-who-have-neither-public-nor-pri_2805265.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/john-stuart-mill-477_affections_to-those-who-have-neither-public-nor-pri_2805265.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/john-stuart-mill-477_affections_to-those-who-have-neither-public-nor-pri_2805265.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To those who have neither public nor private affections, the excitements of life are much curtailed, and in…” — 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": "“To those who have neither public...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/to-those-who-have-neither-public-nor-private-affections-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/to-those-who-have-neither-public-nor-private-affections-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 } } ] } ```