--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No: a poor man who is ungrateful…" description: "\"“No: a poor man who is ungrateful, unthrifty, discontented and rebellious, is probably a real personality, and has much in him...As for the virtuous po..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/oscar-wilde-16_poor-man_no-a-poor-man-who-is-ungrateful-unthrift_2871840.jpg" --- # No: a poor man who is ungrateful, unthrifty, discontented… ![“No: a poor man who is ungrateful, unthrifty, discontented and rebellious, is probably a real personality, and has much in him...As for the virtuous poor...they have made private terms with the enemy, and sold their birthright for very poor pottage.” quote by oscar wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/oscar-wilde-16_poor-man_no-a-poor-man-who-is-ungrateful-unthrift_2871840.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/oscar-wilde-16_poor-man_no-a-poor-man-who-is-ungrateful-unthrift_2871840.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/oscar-wilde-16_poor-man_no-a-poor-man-who-is-ungrateful-unthrift_2871840.jpg) > ““No: a poor man who is ungrateful, unthrifty, discontented and rebellious, is probably a real personality, and has much in him...As for the virtuous poor...they have made private terms with the enemy, and sold their birthright for very poor pottage.”” [oscar wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A poor, ungrateful, discontented person may be seen as authentic, while the virtuous poor compromise their principles. **In simple terms:** Ungrateful poor seem real; virtuous poor sell out. Key Takeaway Beware of equating authenticity with negativity. Themes poverty authenticity virtue contentment Mood reflective critical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - economic hardship - personal integrity - social critique Key Concepts social class personal values self‑respect Questions to Reflect On - What defines true virtue in hardship? - Can authenticity coexist with gratitude? A Different Perspective Idealizing the “authentic” poor can romanticize suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Man Ungrateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-ungrateful-243467/) [Personality Virtuous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality-virtuous-3933077/) [Poor man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-man/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Rebellious Probably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebellious-probably-3933078/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtuous Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtuous-poor-691520/) ## Related quotes > [As for the virtuous poor, one can pity them of course, but one cannot possibly admire them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/as-for-the-virtuous-poor-one-can-pity-them-of-course-but-one-cannot-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man's original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/disobedience-in-the-eyes-of-anyone-who-has-read-history-is-man-s-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [As for the virtuous poor, one can pity them, of course, but one cannot possibly admire them. They have made private terms with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/as-for-the-virtuous-poor-one-can-pity-them-of-course-but-one-cannot/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“They stole from rich merchants and temples and kings. They didn't steal from poor people; this was not because there was anything virtuous about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/they-stole-from-rich-merchants-and-temples-and-kings-they-didn-t/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I believe the best definition of man is the ungrateful biped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/i-believe-the-best-definition-of-man-is-the-ungrateful-biped/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Does not the gratitude of the dog put to shame any man who is ungrateful to his benefactors?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-basil/does-not-the-gratitude-of-the-dog-put-to-shame-any-man-who-is/) [Saint Basil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-basil/) > [“In fact, I believe that the best definition of man is the ungrateful biped.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/in-fact-i-believe-that-the-best-definition-of-man-is-the-ungrateful/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“Gentlemen, let us suppose that man is not stupid. (Indeed one cannot refuse to suppose that, if only from the one consideration, that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/gentlemen-let-us-suppose-that-man-is-not-stupid-indeed-one-cannot-2/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [He that calls a man ungrateful sums up all the veil that a man can be guilty of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/he-that-calls-a-man-ungrateful-sums-up-all-the-veil-that-a-man-can-be/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [The man who is ungrateful is often less to blame than his benefactor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-man-who-is-ungrateful-is-often-less-to-blame-than-his-benefactor/) [François De La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A man may be ungrateful, but the human race is not so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/a-man-may-be-ungrateful-but-the-human-race-is-not-so/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And when distress afflicts you in the sea, away go those whom you call on except He; but when He brings you safe to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quran/and-when-distress-afflicts-you-in-the-sea-away-go-those-whom-you-call/) [Quran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quran/) > [A man is perhaps ungrateful, but often less chargeable with ingratitude than his benefactor is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-man-is-perhaps-ungrateful-but-often-less-chargeable-with/) [François De La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“I believe that the best definition of man is the ungrateful biped.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/i-believe-that-the-best-definition-of-man-is-the-ungrateful-biped/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [It is easy enough to say that poverty is no crime. No; if it were men wouldn't be ashamed of it. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/it-is-easy-enough-to-say-that-poverty-is-no-crime-no-if-it-were-men/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) ## More by oscar wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 oscar wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Poor man quotes > [“To our benefit, death isn't affected by an economic failure, and it never takes a holiday. In addition, a bereaved rich man is easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-ford/to-our-benefit-death-isn-t-affected-by-an-economic-failure-and-it/) [Jeffrey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-ford/) > [“I didn't do any of what they told me,' she said, 'because the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-didn-t-do-any-of-what-they-told-me-she-said-because-the-more-i/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“How could anything be the same? The red of blood lay over the market road in slick pools mingled with a yellow spread of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran-desai/how-could-anything-be-the-same-the-red-of-blood-lay-over-the-market/) [Kiran Desai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran-desai/) > [I think I probably have the philosophy of a poor man. You know, like maybe I'd steal the pennies off a dead man's eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-think-i-probably-have-the-philosophy-of-a-poor-man-you-know-like/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [It is easy enough to say that poverty is no crime. No; if it were men wouldn't be ashamed of it. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/it-is-easy-enough-to-say-that-poverty-is-no-crime-no-if-it-were-men/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“... I opened the door to a knock and found a ashen-faced messenger quailing at the prospect of facing an undead witch who was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-poole/i-opened-the-door-to-a-knock-and-found-a-ashen-faced-messenger/) [Sara Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-poole/) > [The rich man in goal the poor man in filth. The rich man lay on his lazy boy leather couch. The poor man sits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/the-rich-man-in-goal-the-poor-man-in-filth-the-rich-man-lay-on-his/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [Today at school I will learn to read at once; then tomorrow I will begin to write, and the day after tomorrow to cipher.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-collodi/today-at-school-i-will-learn-to-read-at-once-then-tomorrow-i-will/) [Carlo Collodi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-collodi/) > [He who does not believe has no soul. He is empty. He has no ideals. He has nothing to live for. He has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ley/he-who-does-not-believe-has-no-soul-he-is-empty-he-has-no-ideals-he/) [Robert Ley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ley/) > [“He sensed her aroma and greedily breathed in the fragrance. He must not let himself be duped. Those cunning bastards at Karl Lagerfeld and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-nesb/he-sensed-her-aroma-and-greedily-breathed-in-the-fragrance-he-must/) [Jo Nesbø](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-nesb/) > [The rich man can afford to be happy and wise; the poor man is wiser still, for he understands sadness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-chase/the-rich-man-can-afford-to-be-happy-and-wise-the-poor-man-is-wiser/) [William Henry Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-chase/) > [I'd rather marry a poor man with a rich heart, than a rich man with a poor heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-rather-marry-a-poor-man-with-a-rich-heart-than-a-rich-man-with-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“One entry was entitled: "About God": "This thought has been ascribed to Voltaire: If God did not exist, mankind would have invented Him. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-pontoppidan/one-entry-was-entitled-about-god-this-thought-has-been-ascribed-to/) [Henrik Pontoppidan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-pontoppidan/) > [Even a poor man doesn't ask alms unless he sees you have the ability to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piyush-goyal/even-a-poor-man-doesn-t-ask-alms-unless-he-sees-you-have-the-ability/) [Piyush Goyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piyush-goyal/) > [God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs ! Believers who are poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/god-blesses-those-who-are-poor-and-realize-their-need-for-him-for-the/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) [Browse all 490 Poor man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No: a poor man who is ungrateful, unthrifty, discontented and rebellious, is probably a real personality, and has much in him...As for the virtuous poor...they have made private terms with the enemy, and sold their birthright for very poor pottage.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "oscar wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/no-a-poor-man-who-is-ungrateful-unthrifty-discontented-and-rebellious/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Poor man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/no-a-poor-man-who-is-ungrateful-unthrifty-discontented-and-rebellious/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/oscar-wilde-16_poor-man_no-a-poor-man-who-is-ungrateful-unthrift_2871840.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/oscar-wilde-16_poor-man_no-a-poor-man-who-is-ungrateful-unthrift_2871840.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/oscar-wilde-16_poor-man_no-a-poor-man-who-is-ungrateful-unthrift_2871840.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No: a poor man who is ungrateful, unthrifty, discontented and rebellious, is probably a real personality…” — oscar wilde", "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": "oscar wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“No: a poor man who is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/no-a-poor-man-who-is-ungrateful-unthrifty-discontented-and-rebellious/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/no-a-poor-man-who-is-ungrateful-unthrifty-discontented-and-rebellious/#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 } } ] } ```