--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [T]he recognition of private property has…" description: "\"[T]he recognition of private property has really harmed Individualism, and obscured it, by confusing a man with what he possesses. It has led Individua..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/oscar-wilde-16_aim_t-he-recognition-of-private-property-has_1832484.jpg" --- # \[T\]he recognition of private property has really harmed… ![“[T]he recognition of private property has really harmed Individualism, and obscured it, by confusing a man with what he possesses. It has led Individualism entirely astray. It has made gain, not growth its aim. So that man thought that the important thing is to have, and did not know that the…” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/oscar-wilde-16_aim_t-he-recognition-of-private-property-has_1832484.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/oscar-wilde-16_aim_t-he-recognition-of-private-property-has_1832484.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/oscar-wilde-16_aim_t-he-recognition-of-private-property-has_1832484.jpg) > “\[T\]he recognition of private property has really harmed Individualism, and obscured it, by confusing a man with what he possesses. It has led Individualism entirely astray. It has made gain, not growth its aim. So that man thought that the important thing is to have, and did not know that the important thing is to be.” [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. Confusing ownership with identity distorts true individualism, turning focus to accumulation rather than personal growth. **In simple terms:** Owning things masks who we truly are. Key Takeaway Prioritize being over having. Themes individualism materialism identity Mood reflective critical Type philosophical social When to use this quote - personal development - financial planning - minimalism - ethical consumption - self‑reflection Key Concepts philosophy social critique Questions to Reflect On - Do you value possessions as extensions of self? - How can you balance acquisition with personal growth? A Different Perspective The argument may overlook benefits of ownership for security and autonomy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Confusing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusing/) [Gains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gains/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Harmed Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmed-individualism-2286101/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualism/) [Individualism Entirely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualism-entirely-1372828/) [Individualism Obscured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualism-obscured-2286102/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Led Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/led-individualism-2286103/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Private property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-property/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Recognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognition/) [Soul man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-man/) ## Related quotes > [“For the recognition of private property has really harmed Individualism, and obscured it, by confusing a man with what he possesses.  It has led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/for-the-recognition-of-private-property-has-really-harmed/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“For the recognition of private property has really harmed Individualism, and obscured it, by confusing a man with what he possesses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/for-the-recognition-of-private-property-has-really-harmed-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Much of the discussion about socialism and individualism is entirely pointless, because of failure to agree on terminology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/much-of-the-discussion-about-socialism-and-individualism-is-entirely/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [All authority is quite degrading. It degrades those who exercise it, and it degrades those over whom it is exercised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/all-authority-is-quite-degrading-it-degrades-those-who-exercise-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The worst slave owners were those who were kind to their slaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-worst-slave-owners-were-those-who-were-kind-to-their-slaves/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [A map of the world that does not include Utopia is not worth even glancing at, for it leaves out the one country at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/a-map-of-the-world-that-does-not-include-utopia-is-not-worth-even-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [If property had simply pleasures, we could stand it; but its duties make it unbearable. In the interest of the rich we must get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-property-had-simply-pleasures-we-could-stand-it-but-its-duties/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“It is immoral to use private property in order to alleviate the horrible evils that result from the institution of private property. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-immoral-to-use-private-property-in-order-to-alleviate-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [It is immoral to use private property in order to alleviate the horrible evils that result from the institutions of private property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-immoral-to-use-private-property-in-order-to-alleviate-the-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“With the abolition of private property, then, we shall have true, beautiful, healthy Individualism. Nobody will waste his life in accumulating things, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/with-the-abolition-of-private-property-then-we-shall-have-true/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The soul of man is infinite in what it covets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/the-soul-of-man-is-infinite-in-what-it-covets/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [The Soul of man is made an article of merchandise by his fellow man and can such a land be happy? No! Happiness does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-cornell/the-soul-of-man-is-made-an-article-of-merchandise-by-his-fellow-man/) [Ezra Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-cornell/) > [“and stature commanding and exact—in intellect richly endowed—in natural eloquence a prodigy—in soul manifestly "created but a little lower than the angels"—yet a slave,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/and-stature-commanding-and-exact-in-intellect-richly-endowed-in/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The soul of man is not a thing which comes and goes, is builded and decays like the elemental frame in which it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-soul-of-man-is-not-a-thing-which-comes-and-goes-is-builded-and/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The soul of this man is his clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-soul-of-this-man-is-his-clothes/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## 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 Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[T]he recognition of private property has really harmed Individualism, and obscured it, by confusing a man with what he possesses. It has led Individualism entirely astray. It has made gain, not growth its aim. 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