--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When men are easy in their circumstances…" description: "\"When men are easy in their circumstances, they are naturally enemies to innovations.\" — Joseph Addison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/joseph-addison-377_circumstances_when-men-are-easy-in-their-circumstances_2600616.png" --- # When men are easy in their circumstances, they are… ![“When men are easy in their circumstances, they are naturally enemies to innovations.” quote by Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/joseph-addison-377_circumstances_when-men-are-easy-in-their-circumstances_2600616.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/joseph-addison-377_circumstances_when-men-are-easy-in-their-circumstances_2600616.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/joseph-addison-377_circumstances_when-men-are-easy-in-their-circumstances_2600616.png) > “When men are easy in their circumstances, they are naturally enemies to innovations.” [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. Comfortable circumstances breed resistance to innovation. **In simple terms:** Ease breeds resistance to new ideas. Key Takeaway Embrace discomfort to innovate. Themes innovation comfort resistance progress Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - business strategy - policy reform - personal development Key Concepts social change personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How does comfort hinder creativity? - When is comfort beneficial? A Different Perspective Comfort can also foster stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Circumstances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstances/) [Circumstances Naturally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstances-naturally-1940397/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) [Enemies Innovations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies-innovations-1940395/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-easy-866121/) [Naturally Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naturally-enemies-1940396/) ## Related quotes > [“Men are so easy to manipulate, poor things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-peters/men-are-so-easy-to-manipulate-poor-things/) [Elizabeth Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-peters/) > [Men are easy,' he said, fingers tapping on his mahogany desk. 'A man's plumbing is like his mind: simple, very few surprises. You ladies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/men-are-easy-he-said-fingers-tapping-on-his-mahogany-desk-a-man-s/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Men are very easy to get along with- they just want to come home to something pleasant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/men-are-very-easy-to-get-along-with-they-just-want-to-come-home-to/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [“I turned at a noise from the hallway—but it was just Bones. He was lying on his back, licking his paws. If only men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-little/i-turned-at-a-noise-from-the-hallway-but-it-was-just-bones-he-was/) [Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) > [A vigorous temper is not altogether an evil. Men who are easy as an old shoe are generally of little worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/a-vigorous-temper-is-not-altogether-an-evil-men-who-are-easy-as-an/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Men are easy to get but hard to keep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-are-easy-to-get-but-hard-to-keep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Although some men who were easy with their words said that it was worth sacrificing one’s life for a night of love with such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/although-some-men-who-were-easy-with-their-words-said-that-it-was/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [When men are easy in themselves, they let others remain so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ashley-cooper-7th-earl-of-shaftesbury/when-men-are-easy-in-themselves-they-let-others-remain-so/) [Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ashley-cooper-7th-earl-of-shaftesbury/) > [“Anger made men easy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/anger-made-men-easy/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [It is no easy task to lead men. But it is easy enough to drive them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/it-is-no-easy-task-to-lead-men-but-it-is-easy-enough-to-drive-them/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Why did all these men find it so easy to be in love with me then and so complex to be in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/why-did-all-these-men-find-it-so-easy-to-be-in-love-with-me-then-and/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [For me, writing the 'X-Men' was easy - is easy. I know these people, they're my friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-claremont/for-me-writing-the-x-men-was-easy-is-easy-i-know-these-people-they-re/) [Chris Claremont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-claremont/) > [Men are very easy- You treat them well, and they behave right. You don't treat them well, and they don't behave right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/men-are-very-easy-you-treat-them-well-and-they-behave-right-you-don-t/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [“Desperate men are easy to inspire but difficult to reassure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-s-strauss/desperate-men-are-easy-to-inspire-but-difficult-to-reassure/) [Barry S. 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If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [There is nothing touches our imagination so much as a beautiful woman in a plain dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-nothing-touches-our-imagination-so-much-as-a-beautiful-woman/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [We are always doing something for posterity, but I would fain see posterity do something for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/we-are-always-doing-something-for-posterity-but-i-would-fain-see/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Female Virtues are of a Domestick turn. The Family is the proper Province for Private Women to Shine in. If they must be showing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/female-virtues-are-of-a-domestick-turn-the-family-is-the-proper/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [As addictions go, reading is among the cleanest, easiest to feed, happiest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/as-addictions-go-reading-is-among-the-cleanest-easiest-to-feed/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [There is no society or conversation to be kept up in the world without good-nature, or something which must bear its appearance and supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-no-society-or-conversation-to-be-kept-up-in-the-world/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [When love once pleads admission to our hearts, In spite of all the virtue we can boast, The woman that deliberates is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/when-love-once-pleads-admission-to-our-hearts-in-spite-of-all-the/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Many actions calculated to procure fame are not conducive to ultimate happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/many-actions-calculated-to-procure-fame-are-not-conducive-to-ultimate/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [T is liberty crowns Britannia's Isle, And makes her barren rocks and her bleak mountains smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/t-is-liberty-crowns-britannia-s-isle-and-makes-her-barren-rocks-and/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/reading-is-a-basic-tool-in-the-living-of-a-good-life/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The moral perfections of the Deity, the more attentively, we consider, the more perfectly still shall we know them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-moral-perfections-of-the-deity-the-more-attentively-we-consider/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The utmost we can hope for in this world is contentment; if we aim at anything higher, we shall meet with nothing but grief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-utmost-we-can-hope-for-in-this-world-is-contentment-if-we-aim-at/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Courage that grows from constitution often forsakes a man when he has occasion for it; courage which arises from a sense of duty acts;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/courage-that-grows-from-constitution-often-forsakes-a-man-when-he-has/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The most skillful flattery is to let a person talk on, and be a listener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-most-skillful-flattery-is-to-let-a-person-talk-on-and-be-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) [Explore all 620 Joseph Addison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) ## More Circumstances quotes > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Although under particular circumstances, the violence method - any method - can be justified, nevertheless once you commit violence, then counterviolence will be returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/although-under-particular-circumstances-the-violence-method-any/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [The fortunate circumstances of our lives are generally found, at last, to be of our own producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-fortunate-circumstances-of-our-lives-are-generally-found-at-last/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“The set of circumstances that justifies the use of deadly force is a situation of immediate danger of death or great bodily harm to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massad-ayoob/the-set-of-circumstances-that-justifies-the-use-of-deadly-force-is-a/) [Massad Ayoob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massad-ayoob/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [It's impossible to know who Donald might have been under different circumstances and with different parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/it-s-impossible-to-know-who-donald-might-have-been-under-different/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [When we watch a play under the standard circumstances, we've lost volition and time is passing. A still play feels like an existential threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/when-we-watch-a-play-under-the-standard-circumstances-we-ve-lost/) [Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/) > [Being positive helps you to keep away negative thoughts. 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You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 4,560 Circumstances quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstances/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When men are easy in their circumstances, they are naturally enemies to innovations.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Addison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/when-men-are-easy-in-their-circumstances-they-are-naturally-enemies/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Circumstances" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/when-men-are-easy-in-their-circumstances-they-are-naturally-enemies/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/joseph-addison-377_circumstances_when-men-are-easy-in-their-circumstances_2600616.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/joseph-addison-377_circumstances_when-men-are-easy-in-their-circumstances_2600616.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/joseph-addison-377_circumstances_when-men-are-easy-in-their-circumstances_2600616.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When men are easy in their circumstances, they are naturally enemies to innovations.” — Joseph Addison", "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": "Joseph Addison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When men are easy in their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/when-men-are-easy-in-their-circumstances-they-are-naturally-enemies/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/when-men-are-easy-in-their-circumstances-they-are-naturally-enemies/#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 } } ] } ```