--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The inmost significance of the…" description: "\"The inmost significance of the exaggerated value which is set upon hard work appears to be this: man seems to mistrust everything that is effortless; h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/josef-pieper-11414_conscience_the-inmost-significance-of-the-exaggerat_1287520.png" --- # The inmost significance of the exaggerated value which is… ![“The inmost significance of the exaggerated value which is set upon hard work appears to be this: man seems to mistrust everything that is effortless; he can only enjoy, with a good conscience, what he has acquired with toil and trouble; he refused to have anything as a gift.” quote by Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/josef-pieper-11414_conscience_the-inmost-significance-of-the-exaggerat_1287520.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/josef-pieper-11414_conscience_the-inmost-significance-of-the-exaggerat_1287520.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/josef-pieper-11414_conscience_the-inmost-significance-of-the-exaggerat_1287520.png) > “The inmost significance of the exaggerated value which is set upon hard work appears to be this: man seems to mistrust everything that is effortless; he can only enjoy, with a good conscience, what he has acquired with toil and trouble; he refused to have anything as a gift.” [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard work is valued because effortless things feel untrustworthy; people find moral satisfaction in what they earn through labor. **In simple terms:** People trust earned effort, not free gifts. Key Takeaway Earn respect by working for what you have. Themes work ethic trust self‑worth Mood reflective critical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - career advancement - personal finance - relationship building - self‑esteem development Key Concepts virtue ethics psychology of effort Questions to Reflect On - Do you equate effort with virtue? - How do you value gifts versus earned achievements? A Different Perspective Effort alone doesn’t guarantee quality or fairness; systemic barriers can make hard work impossible for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Effortless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effortless/) [Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy/) [Exaggerated Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exaggerated-value-4182180/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Man Mistrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-mistrust-4095831/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mistrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistrust/) [Mistrust Effortless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistrust-effortless-4182182/) [Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance/) [Significance Exaggerated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance-exaggerated-4182181/) [Toil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toil/) [Toil And Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toil-and-trouble/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [“But hope is only man's mistrust of the clear foresight of his mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/but-hope-is-only-man-s-mistrust-of-the-clear-foresight-of-his-mind/) [Paul Valéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [Very fun! Here is one I like: Double, dubloe toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble. ~ Shakespeare Macbeth Hope you Halloween is spirit-filled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin/very-fun-here-is-one-i-like-double-dubloe-toil-and-trouble-fire-burn/) [Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin/) > [“Work, worry, toil and trouble are certainly the lot of almost all throughout their lives. But if all desires were fulfilled as soon as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/work-worry-toil-and-trouble-are-certainly-the-lot-of-almost-all/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“Boil boil toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble say good riddance to Drumble!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/general-tso-shakespeare/boil-boil-toil-and-trouble-fire-burn-and-cauldron-bubble-say-good/) [General Tso Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/general-tso-shakespeare/) > [War, he sung, is toil and trouble; honour but an empty bubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/war-he-sung-is-toil-and-trouble-honour-but-an-empty-bubble/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The real price of everything, what everything really costs to the man who wants to acquire it, is the toil and trouble of acquiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-real-price-of-everything-what-everything-really-costs-to-the-man/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [“Do not be surprised that we must also work. If we have to work, let us remember, this is the world’s week of work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/do-not-be-surprised-that-we-must-also-work-if-we-have-to-work-let-us/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [“Thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d. Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined. Harpier cries ’Tis time, ’tis time. Round about the cauldron go; In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thrice-the-brinded-cat-hath-mew-d-thrice-and-once-the-hedge-pig/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,—…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/eye-of-newt-and-toe-of-frog-wool-of-bat-and-tongue-of-dog-adder-s-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The value of any commodity, therefore, to the person who possesses it, and who means not to use or consume it himself, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-value-of-any-commodity-therefore-to-the-person-who-possesses-it/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [“Whenever other Lore creatures like the nymphs and satyrs turned their noses up at the “hex-hacks,” Carrow would raise both her hands in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/whenever-other-lore-creatures-like-the-nymphs-and-satyrs-turned-their/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“You've heard of him haven't you?" "She may not have, I hadn't until last week." "Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalie-ham/you-ve-heard-of-him-haven-t-you-she-may-not-have-i-hadn-t-until-last/) [Rosalie Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalie-ham/) > [“Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee, And for thy maintenance; commits his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thy-husband-is-thy-lord-thy-life-thy-keeper-thy-head-thy-sovereign/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/double-double-toil-and-trouble-fire-burn-and-cauldron-bubble/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Up! up! my friend, and quit your books, Or surely you 'll grow double! Up! up! my friend, and clear your looks! Why all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/up-up-my-friend-and-quit-your-books-or-surely-you-ll-grow-double-up/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) ## More by Josef Pieper > [The delight we take in our senses is an implicit desire to know the ultimate reason for things, the highest cause. The desire for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/the-delight-we-take-in-our-senses-is-an-implicit-desire-to-know-the/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [“The vacancy left by absence of worship is filled by mere killing of time and by boredom, which is directly related to inability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/the-vacancy-left-by-absence-of-worship-is-filled-by-mere-killing-of/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [“Patience is not the indiscriminate acceptance of any sort of evil: "It is not the one who does not flee from evil who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/patience-is-not-the-indiscriminate-acceptance-of-any-sort-of-evil-it/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [Contemplation does not ignore the 'historical Gethsemane', does not ignore the mystery of evil, guilt and its bloody atonement. The happiness of contemplation is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/contemplation-does-not-ignore-the-historical-gethsemane-does-not/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [Justice is a habit (habitus), whereby a man renders to each one his due with constant and perpetual will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/justice-is-a-habit-habitus-whereby-a-man-renders-to-each-one-his-due/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [The happy life does not mean loving what we possess, but possessing what we love." Possession of the beloved, St. Thomas holds, takes place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/the-happy-life-does-not-mean-loving-what-we-possess-but-possessing/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [The brave man uses wrath for his own act, above all in attack, 'for it is peculiar to wrath to pounce upon evil. Thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/the-brave-man-uses-wrath-for-his-own-act-above-all-in-attack-for-it/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [What distinguishes - in both senses of that word - contemplation is rather this: it is a knowing which is inspired by love. "Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/what-distinguishes-in-both-senses-of-that-word-contemplation-is/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [Beauty, however, must here be understood in its original meaning: as the glow of the true and the good irradiating from every ordered state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/beauty-however-must-here-be-understood-in-its-original-meaning-as-the/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [Unless we regain the art of silence and insight, the ability for nonactivity, unless we substitute true leisure for our hectic amusements, we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/unless-we-regain-the-art-of-silence-and-insight-the-ability-for/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [To be conscious of gratitude is to acknowledge a gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/to-be-conscious-of-gratitude-is-to-acknowledge-a-gift/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [If God really became incarnate, and if His Incarnation can with justice compel man to change his life,then we have no alternative but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/if-god-really-became-incarnate-and-if-his-incarnation-can-with/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [Surrender to sensuality paralyzes the powers of the moral person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/surrender-to-sensuality-paralyzes-the-powers-of-the-moral-person/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [Only those are called liberal or free which are concerned with knowledge; those which are concerned with utilitarian ends... are called servile...The question is...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/only-those-are-called-liberal-or-free-which-are-concerned-with/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [To celebrate a festival means: to live out, for some special occasion and in an uncommon manner, the universal assent to the world as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/to-celebrate-a-festival-means-to-live-out-for-some-special-occasion/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) [Explore all 60 Josef Pieper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) ## More Conscience quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [My morals are important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/my-morals-are-important-to-me/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another ones belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another ones right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-ones-belief-but-it/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-all-the-world-hated-you-and-believed-you-wicked-while-your-own/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) [Browse all 3,490 Conscience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The inmost significance of the exaggerated value which is set upon hard work appears to be this: man seems to mistrust everything that is effortless; he can only enjoy, with a good conscience, what he has acquired with toil and trouble; he refused to have anything as a gift.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Josef Pieper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/the-inmost-significance-of-the-exaggerated-value-which-is-set-upon/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conscience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/the-inmost-significance-of-the-exaggerated-value-which-is-set-upon/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/josef-pieper-11414_conscience_the-inmost-significance-of-the-exaggerat_1287520.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/josef-pieper-11414_conscience_the-inmost-significance-of-the-exaggerat_1287520.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/josef-pieper-11414_conscience_the-inmost-significance-of-the-exaggerat_1287520.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The inmost significance of the exaggerated value which is set upon hard work appears to be this: man seems…” — Josef Pieper", "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": "Josef Pieper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The inmost significance of the exaggerated...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/the-inmost-significance-of-the-exaggerated-value-which-is-set-upon/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/the-inmost-significance-of-the-exaggerated-value-which-is-set-upon/#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 } } ] } ```