--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We get richer and richer in filthier and…" description: "\"We get richer and richer in filthier and filthier communities until we reach a final state of affluent misery - crocus on a garbage heap.\" — John W. Ga..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/john-w-gardner-7687_affluent_we-get-richer-and-richer-in-filthier-and_190243.jpg" --- # We get richer and richer in filthier and filthier… ![“We get richer and richer in filthier and filthier communities until we reach a final state of affluent misery - crocus on a garbage heap.” quote by John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/john-w-gardner-7687_affluent_we-get-richer-and-richer-in-filthier-and_190243.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/john-w-gardner-7687_affluent_we-get-richer-and-richer-in-filthier-and_190243.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/john-w-gardner-7687_affluent_we-get-richer-and-richer-in-filthier-and_190243.jpg) > “We get richer and richer in filthier and filthier communities until we reach a final state of affluent misery - crocus on a garbage heap.” [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society's pursuit of wealth creates increasingly polluted, unsatisfying environments, leading to a paradox of affluence and misery. **In simple terms:** More wealth leads to dirtier, unhappy lives. Key Takeaway Seek balance between material gain and environmental health. Themes affluence environment misery paradox Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - urban planning - policy making - personal finance - community activism Key Concepts sustainability consumerism quality of life Questions to Reflect On - What measures can curb waste while maintaining prosperity? - How does material excess affect mental health? A Different Perspective Economic growth often ignores ecological and emotional costs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Crocuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crocuses/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [You might think that after thousands of years of coming up too soon and getting frozen, the crocus family would have had a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/you-might-think-that-after-thousands-of-years-of-coming-up-too-soon/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [“Search me," I said. "I'm a city boy myself. They must be crocuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/search-me-i-said-i-m-a-city-boy-myself-they-must-be-crocuses/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [A single crocus blossom ought to be enough to convince our heart that springtime, no matter how predictable, is somehow a gift, gratuitous, gratis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/a-single-crocus-blossom-ought-to-be-enough-to-convince-our-heart-that/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [So Spring comes merry towards me here, but earns No answering smile from me, whose life is twin'd With the dead boughs that winter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-gabriel-rossetti/so-spring-comes-merry-towards-me-here-but-earns-no-answering-smile/) [Dante Gabriel Rossetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-gabriel-rossetti/) > [A flower is a daisy chain, a graduation, a valentine; a flower is New Year's Eve and an orchid in your hair; a flower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hersey/a-flower-is-a-daisy-chain-a-graduation-a-valentine-a-flower-is-new/) [Jean Hersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hersey/) > [Nature is none other than God in things... Animals and plants are living effects of Nature; Whence all of God is in all things...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/nature-is-none-other-than-god-in-things-animals-and-plants-are-living/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [I wonder if the sap is stirring yet, If wintry birds are dreaming of a mate, If frozen snowdrops feel as yet the sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-rossetti/i-wonder-if-the-sap-is-stirring-yet-if-wintry-birds-are-dreaming-of-a/) [Christina Rossetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-rossetti/) > [I don't suppose a writing man ever really gets rid of his old crocus-yellow neckties. Sooner or later, I think, they show up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-don-t-suppose-a-writing-man-ever-really-gets-rid-of-his-old-crocus/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [Flower god, god of the spring, beautiful, bountiful, Cold-dyed shield in the sky, lover of versicles, Here I wander in April Cold, grey-headed; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/flower-god-god-of-the-spring-beautiful-bountiful-cold-dyed-shield-in/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Nature is none other than God in all things. Animals and plants are living effects of Nature; Whence all of God is in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/nature-is-none-other-than-god-in-all-things-animals-and-plants-are/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [Late February, and the air's so balmy snowdrops and crocuses might be fooled into early blooming. Then, the inevitable blizzard will come, blighting our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mazur/late-february-and-the-air-s-so-balmy-snowdrops-and-crocuses-might-be/) Gail Mazur > [The bed of flowers Loosens amain, The beauteous snowdrops Droop o'er the plain. The crocus opens Its glowing bud, Like emeralds others, Others, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-bed-of-flowers-loosens-amain-the-beauteous-snowdrops-droop-o-er/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Lowly, with a broken neck, The crocus lays her cheek to mire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meredith/lowly-with-a-broken-neck-the-crocus-lays-her-cheek-to-mire/) [George Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meredith/) > [“Every Easter she and her mother planted those crocuses near the fence beside the driveway, and soon enough a whole cluster of them, white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/every-easter-she-and-her-mother-planted-those-crocuses-near-the-fence/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [During the winter, you head out into the darkness for a run. When spring comes, and the first crocus pokes up its head...you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-kuscsik/during-the-winter-you-head-out-into-the-darkness-for-a-run-when/) [Nina Kuscsik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-kuscsik/) ## More by John W. Gardner > [“We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/we-are-continually-faced-with-a-series-of-great-opportunities/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [One man interacting creatively with others can move the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/one-man-interacting-creatively-with-others-can-move-the-world/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [To sensible men, every day is a day of reckoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/to-sensible-men-every-day-is-a-day-of-reckoning/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [All excellence involves discipline and tenacity of purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/all-excellence-involves-discipline-and-tenacity-of-purpose/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Tax reduction has an almost irresistible appeal to the politician, and it is no doubt also gratifying to the citizen. It means more dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/tax-reduction-has-an-almost-irresistible-appeal-to-the-politician-and/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [At home we have lost the capacity to see what is before us. Travel shakes us out of our apathy, and we regain an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/at-home-we-have-lost-the-capacity-to-see-what-is-before-us-travel/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Few have excellence thrust upon them ... They achieve it. They do not achieve it unwittingly by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/some-people-have-greatness-thrust-upon-them-few-have-excellence/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Leaders come in many forms, with many styles and diverse qualities. There are quiet leaders and leaders one can hear in the next county.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/leaders-come-in-many-forms-with-many-styles-and-diverse-qualities/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [The ultimate goal of the educational system is to shift to the individual the burden of pursuing his education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/the-ultimate-goal-of-the-educational-system-is-to-shift-to-the/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [The first and last task of aleader is to keep hope alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/the-first-and-last-task-of-aleader-is-to-keep-hope-alive/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [An excellent plumber is infinitely more admirable than an incompetent philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/an-excellent-plumber-is-infinitely-more-admirable-than-an-incompetent/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [There is no learning without some difficulty and fumbling. If you want to keep on learning, you must keep on risking failure-all your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/there-is-no-learning-without-some-difficulty-and-fumbling-if-you-want/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [All of us celebrate our values in our behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/all-of-us-celebrate-our-values-in-our-behavior/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Some people seem to believe that for each problem there is a solution readily available - a solution that can be promptly achieved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/some-people-seem-to-believe-that-for-each-problem-there-is-a-solution/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [In the artist's recreation of the world we are enabled to see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/in-the-artist-s-recreation-of-the-world-we-are-enabled-to-see-the/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) [Explore all 88 John W. Gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) ## More Affluent quotes > [From the clayey soil of northern Wyoming is mined bentonite, which is used as filler in candy, gum, and lipstick. We Americans are great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretel-ehrlich/from-the-clayey-soil-of-northern-wyoming-is-mined-bentonite-which-is/) [Gretel Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretel-ehrlich/) > [Developed and benefited from the unsustainable patterns of production and consumption which have produced our present dilemma. It is clear that current lifestyles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/developed-and-benefited-from-the-unsustainable-patterns-of-production/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [Tax reduction has an almost irresistible appeal to the politician, and it is no doubt also gratifying to the citizen. It means more dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/tax-reduction-has-an-almost-irresistible-appeal-to-the-politician-and/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Professionalism in medicine has given us medial miracles for the affluent but hospitals that will charge $35 for aspirin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/professionalism-in-medicine-has-given-us-medial-miracles-for-the/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [We fought hard for socialism in a devastating war of independence and reunification. To build an affluent and prosperous society, we chose the path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nguyen-minh-triet/we-fought-hard-for-socialism-in-a-devastating-war-of-independence-and/) [Nguyen Minh Triet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nguyen-minh-triet/) > [When I first began visiting West Germany in the early 1980s, I was startled by the contrast between Birmingham, where I went to school,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-harding/when-i-first-began-visiting-west-germany-in-the-early-1980s-i-was/) [Luke Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-harding/) > [The American people are extraordinarily comfortable, affluent, and secure. It's easy for us to make the argument that God's purpose is being fulfilled through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/the-american-people-are-extraordinarily-comfortable-affluent-and/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [“It rankled her that people richer than she were so often less worthy and attractive. More slobbish and louty. Comfort could be found in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/it-rankled-her-that-people-richer-than-she-were-so-often-less-worthy/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [I come from a very affluent family. I have been educated in one of the finest institutions of the world. Money was never a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adnan-sami/i-come-from-a-very-affluent-family-i-have-been-educated-in-one-of-the/) [Adnan Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adnan-sami/) > [Rich people in poor places want to show off their wealth. And their less affluent counterparts feel pressure to fake it, at least in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/rich-people-in-poor-places-want-to-show-off-their-wealth-and-their/) [Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/) > [...no matter how complex or affluent, human societies are nothing but subsystems of the biosphere, the Earth's thin veneer of life, which is ultimately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-smil/no-matter-how-complex-or-affluent-human-societies-are-nothing-but/) [Vaclav Smil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-smil/) > [Obama's assault on the affluent rests upon a sky-high stack of lies. Obama is too well staffed and too well informed not to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deroy-murdock/obama-s-assault-on-the-affluent-rests-upon-a-sky-high-stack-of-lies/) Deroy Murdock > [“Integrity is more significant than income. Honor is more opulent than fame. Self worth is more affluent than net worth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sravani-saha-nakhro/integrity-is-more-significant-than-income-honor-is-more-opulent-than/) [Sravani Saha Nakhro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sravani-saha-nakhro/) > [It's amazing how people can get so excited about a rocket to the moon and not give a damn about smog, oil leaks, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/it-s-amazing-how-people-can-get-so-excited-about-a-rocket-to-the-moon/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Gaming has been resorted to by the affluent as a refuge from ennui. It is a mental dram, and may succeed for a moment;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/gaming-has-been-resorted-to-by-the-affluent-as-a-refuge-from-ennui-it/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) Browse all 164 Affluent quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We get richer and richer in filthier and filthier communities until we reach a final state of affluent misery - crocus on a garbage heap.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John W. 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