--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They were a people so primitive they did…" description: "\"They were a people so primitive they did not know how to get money, except by working for it.\" — Joseph Addison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/joseph-addison-377_funny_they-were-a-people-so-primitive-they-did_3058993.png" --- # They were a people so primitive they did not know how to… ![“They were a people so primitive they did not know how to get money, except by working for it.” quote by Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/joseph-addison-377_funny_they-were-a-people-so-primitive-they-did_3058993.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/joseph-addison-377_funny_they-were-a-people-so-primitive-they-did_3058993.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b2/joseph-addison-377_funny_they-were-a-people-so-primitive-they-did_3058993.png) > “They were a people so primitive they did not know how to get money, except by working for it.” [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early societies lacked monetary systems, relying on labor for sustenance. **In simple terms:** People earned by working, not money. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of effort over profit. Themes economics history labor Mood analytical thoughtful Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - anthropology - economic theory - social critique Key Concepts primitive economies value of work Questions to Reflect On - How does labor shape societal values? - Can we learn from non‑monetary cultures? A Different Perspective Modern economies are far more complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Funny money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-money/) [Funny work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-work/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Primitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primitive/) [Scams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scams/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [You cannot, for instance, sustainably protect the environment if the majority of the people are still in primitive agriculture leading to the encroachment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoweri-museveni/you-cannot-for-instance-sustainably-protect-the-environment-if-the/) [Yoweri Museveni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoweri-museveni/) > [“Food, like your money, should be working for you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-deattrea-beckford-m-d/food-like-your-money-should-be-working-for-you/) Rita Deattrea Beckford M.D > [Some people feel that what we're doing makes no sense, that it's just a waste of money. But it's working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-klein/some-people-feel-that-what-we-re-doing-makes-no-sense-that-it-s-just/) [Calvin Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-klein/) > [Our town was not very wealthy, it is a humble place, and my mom and dad didn't have much money. They were always working,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-pereira/our-town-was-not-very-wealthy-it-is-a-humble-place-and-my-mom-and-dad/) [Alex Pereira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-pereira/) > [I'm determined to be contented, and having plenty of money from working makes it easier for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-carpenter/i-m-determined-to-be-contented-and-having-plenty-of-money-from/) [Karen Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-carpenter/) > [I want to work for myself, and I do work for myself. 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If that's all there is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/if-you-re-just-saying-hey-i-m-doing-this-i-m-working-to-make-money-i/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [Trying to make money without working is like trying to milk a cow with your hands in your pockets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/trying-to-make-money-without-working-is-like-trying-to-milk-a-cow/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [That money was for working eight to twelve hour days ... it was not a welfare check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/that-money-was-for-working-eight-to-twelve-hour-days-it-was-not-a/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [The whole point of having money, and working and making money, is to enjoy and spend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-paul-lazar/the-whole-point-of-having-money-and-working-and-making-money-is-to/) [Irving Paul Lazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-paul-lazar/) > [I enjoy money. 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There is no great secret in photography...schools are a bunch of crap. You just need practice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-erwitt/making-pictures-is-a-very-simple-act-there-is-no-great-secret-in/) [Elliott Erwitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-erwitt/) ## More by Joseph Addison > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. 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