--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man accepts an inferior cup of tea…" description: "\"“A man accepts an inferior cup of tea, telling himself it is only a small thing. But what comes next? Do you see?”\" — Patrick deWitt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/patrick-dewitt-3545_coffee_a-man-accepts-an-inferior-cup-of-tea-tel_2824615.png" --- # A man accepts an inferior cup of tea, telling himself it… ![“A man accepts an inferior cup of tea, telling himself it is only a small thing. But what comes next? Do you see?” quote by Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/patrick-dewitt-3545_coffee_a-man-accepts-an-inferior-cup-of-tea-tel_2824615.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/patrick-dewitt-3545_coffee_a-man-accepts-an-inferior-cup-of-tea-tel_2824615.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/patrick-dewitt-3545_coffee_a-man-accepts-an-inferior-cup-of-tea-tel_2824615.png) > ““A man accepts an inferior cup of tea, telling himself it is only a small thing. But what comes next? Do you see?”” [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accepting a minor flaw can mask larger, unseen consequences. **In simple terms:** Small compromises hide bigger risks. Key Takeaway Question small acceptances. Themes choice consequence integrity Mood cautious inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - consumer decisions - relationship boundaries - career choices Key Concepts ethics behavioral economics literature Questions to Reflect On - What “small things” have you ignored? - How might they affect you later? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepts Inferior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepts-inferior-3615182/) [Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee/) [Cup of tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cup-of-tea/) [Inferior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferior/) [Inferior Cup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferior-cup-3615183/) [Man Accepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-accepts-616368/) [Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tea/) [Tea Telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tea-telling-3615184/) ## Related quotes > [“Fortune-teller tea. Give it a sip!" The liquid was pink and smelled of strawberries, but when Maddie drank it, the flavor was deep and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/fortune-teller-tea-give-it-a-sip-the-liquid-was-pink-and-smelled-of/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [The man who accepts opinions because they have been entertained by distinguished people, is a mental snob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-man-who-accepts-opinions-because-they-have-been-entertained-by/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“Man accepts death but not the hour of his death. To die any time, except when one has to die!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-m-cioran/man-accepts-death-but-not-the-hour-of-his-death-to-die-any-time/) [Emil M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-m-cioran/) > [“When reconciling great hatred there will some remain. How can it be made good? Therefore the wise man accepts the debit side of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/when-reconciling-great-hatred-there-will-some-remain-how-can-it-be/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [...good luck waits to come to that man who accepts opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-clason/good-luck-waits-to-come-to-that-man-who-accepts-opportunity/) [George S. Clason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-clason/) > [The man who accepts the laissez-faire doctrine would allow his garden to grow wild so that roses might fight it out with the weeds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-man-who-accepts-the-laissez-faire-doctrine-would-allow-his-garden/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“When a man accepts that he will no doubt die, he is free to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-glenn-taylor/when-a-man-accepts-that-he-will-no-doubt-die-he-is-free-to-live/) [M. Glenn Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-glenn-taylor/) > [When a man who accepts the Christian doctrine lives unworthily of it, it is much clearer to say he is a bad Christian than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/when-a-man-who-accepts-the-christian-doctrine-lives-unworthily-of-it/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [A real man accepts the responsibility that comes with his gurl , when she is in need and he is around takes care of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-coleman/a-real-man-accepts-the-responsibility-that-comes-with-his-gurl-when/) [Damian Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-coleman/) > [ “\[T\]he more man accepts his limitations, the better is he enabled to know things truly.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-rushdoony/t-he-more-man-accepts-his-limitations-the-better-is-he-enabled-to/) [R.J. Rushdoony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-rushdoony/) > [Ahimsa can be practiced only towards those that are inferior to you in every way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/ahimsa-can-be-practiced-only-towards-those-that-are-inferior-to-you/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Seeing the rich and famous screw up makes us feel superior, or at least not quite so inferior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/seeing-the-rich-and-famous-screw-up-makes-us-feel-superior-or-at/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Snobs are people who look down on other people, but that does not justify our looking down on them. Who can say what dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/snobs-are-people-who-look-down-on-other-people-but-that-does-not/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [What puzzles me is the way that some of the smaller, unknown chateaux imagine that because Chinese millionaires pay ludicrous sums for the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hoggart/what-puzzles-me-is-the-way-that-some-of-the-smaller-unknown-chateaux/) [Simon Hoggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hoggart/) > [Failure doesnt mean you are inferior¦¦ it does mean you are not perfect!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/failure-doesnt-mean-you-are-inferior-it-does-mean-you-are-not-perfect/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) ## More by Patrick deWitt > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I come by writing dialogue fairly naturally, I've got a chatty family; I'm a bit of a voyeur, and if I'm ever in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-come-by-writing-dialogue-fairly-naturally-i-ve-got-a-chatty-family/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [“Beware of the plygs of Colorado City, Arizona. They have no cups of coffee for the likes of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/beware-of-the-plygs-of-colorado-city-arizona-they-have-no-cups-of/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [“When you sleep, your dreams are those of a dullard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/when-you-sleep-your-dreams-are-those-of-a-dullard/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [The nice thing about writing at home is that it's almost as though I'm doing it already. I get out of bed thinking of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-nice-thing-about-writing-at-home-is-that-it-s-almost-as-though-i/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I am increasingly unimpressed by works of art that require a college degree to understand. I think that art should be for everyone. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-am-increasingly-unimpressed-by-works-of-art-that-require-a-college/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I carry a small spiral notebook with me at all times and have been doing this for many years. There's a shoe box in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-carry-a-small-spiral-notebook-with-me-at-all-times-and-have-been/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > ['The Sisters Brothers' started out as a little bit of dialogue between these two men who became Eli and Charlie Sisters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-sisters-brothers-started-out-as-a-little-bit-of-dialogue-between/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I was halfway through a rough draft of 'The Sisters Brothers' when it came time to start the 'Terri' adaptation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-was-halfway-through-a-rough-draft-of-the-sisters-brothers-when-it/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [The impetus for 'The Sisters Brothers' was it occurred to me that there was no neurosis in westerns, or there's a minimal amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was-it-occurred-to-me-that-there/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I haven't read hardly any Westerns, to tell you the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-haven-t-read-hardly-any-westerns-to-tell-you-the-truth/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [Lies can be wonderful things, and when a lie is told artfully, if it's done with a degree of craftsmanship, I can't help but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/lies-can-be-wonderful-things-and-when-a-lie-is-told-artfully-if-it-s/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I'm not an enormous proponent of plot as a reader. It's about other things; my reading has become specialized over the years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-m-not-an-enormous-proponent-of-plot-as-a-reader-it-s-about-other/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [“You are afraid of hell. But that’s all religion is, really. Fear of a place we’d rather not be, and where there’s no such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/you-are-afraid-of-hell-but-that-s-all-religion-is-really-fear-of-a/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I've been surprised at how much an unknown like myself can accomplish just by reaching out to people and pleading my case. Quotes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-ve-been-surprised-at-how-much-an-unknown-like-myself-can-accomplish/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) [Explore all 128 Patrick deWitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) ## More Coffee quotes > [I would drink gallons of coffee a day. Even now, off caffeine, I talk faster than anyone you've ever met. I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/) [Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/) > [I had developed a relationship with one of the anti-abortion sidewalk counselors who stood in front of my facility. We talked regularly through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/i-had-developed-a-relationship-with-one-of-the-anti-abortion-sidewalk/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [I like to sit down, relax, have a cup of coffee on the terrace and read a book. I like to travel the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-vos/i-like-to-sit-down-relax-have-a-cup-of-coffee-on-the-terrace-and-read/) [Marianne Vos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-vos/) > [White Coffee Really Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-saicha/white-coffee-really-helps/) [Anwar Saicha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-saicha/) > [“The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/the-whole-purpose-of-places-like-starbucks-is-for-people-with-no/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Coffee and tobacco are complete repose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/coffee-and-tobacco-are-complete-repose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [I spend a lot of time loathing the sentences that I put down on the page. Once I'm past that phase, it doesn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-loathing-the-sentences-that-i-put-down-on-the/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [If Japanese tea 'stands,' it acquires a coarse bitterness and an unwholesome astringency. Milk and sugar are not used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-bird/if-japanese-tea-stands-it-acquires-a-coarse-bitterness-and-an/) [Isabella Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-bird/) > [...it isn't foolish or wicked to enjoy. Wickedness is hurting people on purpose. I love what you are and who you are and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/it-isn-t-foolish-or-wicked-to-enjoy-wickedness-is-hurting-people-on/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [I don't typically drink coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cavallari/i-don-t-typically-drink-coffee/) [Kristin Cavallari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cavallari/) > [I put hibiscus flower in every cup of tea I have. It's sweet, sexy, and cleansing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/i-put-hibiscus-flower-in-every-cup-of-tea-i-have-it-s-sweet-sexy-and/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [“That is why I love Starbucks. It doesn't matter how much money you have or what social world you're from, chances are you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyra-davis/that-is-why-i-love-starbucks-it-doesn-t-matter-how-much-money-you/) [Kyra Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyra-davis/) [Browse all 3,625 Coffee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A man accepts an inferior cup of tea, telling himself it is only a small thing. But what comes next? Do you see?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick deWitt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/a-man-accepts-an-inferior-cup-of-tea-telling-himself-it-is-only-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coffee" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/a-man-accepts-an-inferior-cup-of-tea-telling-himself-it-is-only-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/patrick-dewitt-3545_coffee_a-man-accepts-an-inferior-cup-of-tea-tel_2824615.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/patrick-dewitt-3545_coffee_a-man-accepts-an-inferior-cup-of-tea-tel_2824615.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/patrick-dewitt-3545_coffee_a-man-accepts-an-inferior-cup-of-tea-tel_2824615.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A man accepts an inferior cup of tea, telling himself it is only a small thing. But what comes next? Do you…” — Patrick deWitt", "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": "Patrick deWitt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A man accepts an inferior cup...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/a-man-accepts-an-inferior-cup-of-tea-telling-himself-it-is-only-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/a-man-accepts-an-inferior-cup-of-tea-telling-himself-it-is-only-a/#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 } } ] } ```