---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every class of society has its cant of…"
description: "\"Every class of society has its cant of lamentation, which is understood or regarded by none but themselves; and every part of life has its uneasiness, ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/samuel-johnson-50_art-of-life_every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-l_162847.png"
---

#  Every class of society has its cant of lamentation, which…

![“Every class of society has its cant of lamentation, which is understood or regarded by none but themselves; and every part of life has its uneasiness, which those who do not feel them will not commiserate. An event which spreads distraction over half the commercial world, assembles the trading…” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/samuel-johnson-50_art-of-life_every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-l_162847.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/samuel-johnson-50_art-of-life_every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-l_162847.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/samuel-johnson-50_art-of-life_every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-l_162847.png)

> “Every class of society has its cant of lamentation, which is understood or regarded by none but themselves; and every part of life has its uneasiness, which those who do not feel them will not commiserate. An event which spreads distraction over half the commercial world, assembles the trading companies in councils and committees, and shakes the nerves of a thousand stockjobbers, is read by the landlord and the farmer with frigid indifference.”

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Societal groups each have unique concerns that outsiders cannot fully grasp, and widespread events may be ignored by those not directly affected.

**In simple terms:** People only understand their own problems.

Key Takeaway

Seek empathy across different experiences.

Themes

society empathy perspective

Mood

thoughtful concerned

Type

philosophical observational

When to use this quote

- business meetings
- community planning
- media coverage

Key Concepts

social psychology cognitive bias

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we better recognize others' unseen struggles?
- What steps foster cross‑group understanding?

A Different Perspective

Assuming indifference can overlook hidden impacts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Art of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-life/) [Cant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cant/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Classes of society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classes-of-society/) [Commiserate Event](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commiserate-event-1781635/) [Committees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committees/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Council](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/council/) [Distraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distraction/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Farmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farmers/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Frigid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frigid/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) [Lamentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lamentation/) [Lamentation Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lamentation-understood-1781634/) [Landlord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/landlord/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Uneasiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-uneasiness-1501113/) [Nerves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerves/) [Part of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part-of-life/) [Parts of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parts-of-life/) [Shakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakes/) [Society Lamentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-lamentation-1781633/) [Spread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spread/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) [Trading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trading/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Uneasiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uneasiness/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [“Why do you want to shut out of your life any uneasiness, any misery, any depression, since after all you don't know what work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/why-do-you-want-to-shut-out-of-your-life-any-uneasiness-any-misery/)

[Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/)

> [The safe and general antidote against sorrow is employment. It is commonly observed, that among soldiers and seamen, though there is much kindness, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-safe-and-general-antidote-against-sorrow-is-employment-it-is/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Every man may be observed to have a certain strain of lamentation, some peculiar theme of complaint on which he dwells in his moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/every-man-may-be-observed-to-have-a-certain-strain-of-lamentation/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [The government should cultivate the view also among the propertyless classes of the population, those who are the most numerous and the least educated,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/the-government-should-cultivate-the-view-also-among-the-propertyless/)

[Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/)

> [“Beware of artists. They mix with all classes of society and are therefore the most dangerous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/beware-of-artists-they-mix-with-all-classes-of-society-and-are-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It is also very important to observe, that menial servants are absolutely necessary to make the resources of the higher and middle classes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malthus/it-is-also-very-important-to-observe-that-menial-servants-are/)

[Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malthus/)

> [It will take a long period to decide the issue in the ideological struggle between socialism and capitalism in our country. The reason is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/it-will-take-a-long-period-to-decide-the-issue-in-the-ideological/)

[Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/)

> [They are, as it were, train-bearers in the pageant of life, and hold a glass up to humanity, frailer than itself. We see ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/they-are-as-it-were-train-bearers-in-the-pageant-of-life-and-hold-a/)

[William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/)

> [Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, . . . neither persons nor property will be safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/where-justice-is-denied-where-poverty-is-enforced-neither-persons-nor/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [The most important eugenic policy at this time is to see that birth control is made equally available to all individuals in every class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-osborn/the-most-important-eugenic-policy-at-this-time-is-to-see-that-birth/)

[Frederick Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-osborn/)

> [In class society everyone lives as a member of a particular class, and every kind of thinking, without exception, is stamped with the brand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/in-class-society-everyone-lives-as-a-member-of-a-particular-class-and/)

[Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/)

> [Lawyers belong to the people by birth and interest, and to the aristocracy by habit and taste; they may be looked upon as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/lawyers-belong-to-the-people-by-birth-and-interest-and-to-the/)

[Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/)

> [Aristocrats fear the people, and wish to transfer all power to the higher classes of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/aristocrats-fear-the-people-and-wish-to-transfer-all-power-to-the/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [All classes of society are trade unionists at heart, and differ chiefly in the boldness, ability, and secrecy with which they pursue their respective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/all-classes-of-society-are-trade-unionists-at-heart-and-differ/)

[William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/)

> [The ruthless economic exploitation and political oppression of the peasants by the landlord class forced them into numerous uprisings against its rule… It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/the-ruthless-economic-exploitation-and-political-oppression-of-the/)

[Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/)

## More by Samuel Johnson

> [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

[Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

## More Art of life quotes

> [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/)

[One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/)

> [Having depression is tough, but surviving every day and telling yourself to go one more day longer is truly courageous. Amidst, all the pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/having-depression-is-tough-but-surviving-every-day-and-telling/)

[Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/)

> [“The mistaken and unhappy notion that a man is an enduring unity is known to you. It is also known to you that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-mistaken-and-unhappy-notion-that-a-man-is-an-enduring-unity-is/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-art-of-life-is-to-know-how-to-enjoy-a-little-and-to-endure-very/)

[William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/)

> [“Learning what to want is the most radical, the most painful and the most creative art of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-vickers/learning-what-to-want-is-the-most-radical-the-most-painful-and-the/)

[Geoffrey Vickers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-vickers/)

> [New teachers were just a part of life, for a few days after one arrived, squawks of interest were emitted from various corners, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/new-teachers-were-just-a-part-of-life-for-a-few-days-after-one/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [“Everywhere you go you'll see highs and lows These things are just part of life and its flows It helps to understand that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-marques/everywhere-you-go-you-ll-see-highs-and-lows-these-things-are-just/)

[Joan Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-marques/)

> [I need someone...to be half of myself...to carry my 2nd part of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/singu/i-need-someone-to-be-half-of-myself-to-carry-my-2nd-part-of-life/)

[SINGU](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/singu/)

> [The easy part of life is finding someone to love you. The hard part of life is finding some to love you back!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-easy-part-of-life-is-finding-someone-to-love-you-the-hard-part-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“It's a part of life. You never know what you are going to get; you just have to be strong enough to deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-hill/it-s-a-part-of-life-you-never-know-what-you-are-going-to-get-you-just/)

[Melissa Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-hill/)

> [Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/)

[Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/)

> [“You didn’t get it. Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/you-didn-t-get-it-sacrifice-is-a-part-of-life-it-s-supposed-to-be-it/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [Mistakes are a part of life, everyone makes them, everyone regrets them, but no one notices them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil/mistakes-are-a-part-of-life-everyone-makes-them-everyone-regrets-them/)

[Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil/)

> [“What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore? Nobody really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-driven-college-student-about-to/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

[Browse all 957 Art of life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-life/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Every class of society has its cant of lamentation, which is understood or regarded by none but themselves; and every part of life has its uneasiness, which those who do not feel them will not commiserate. An event which spreads distraction over half the commercial world, assembles the trading companies in councils and committees, and shakes the nerves of a thousand stockjobbers, is read by the landlord and the farmer with frigid indifference.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Samuel Johnson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-lamentation-which-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art of life"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-lamentation-which-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/samuel-johnson-50_art-of-life_every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-l_162847.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/samuel-johnson-50_art-of-life_every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-l_162847.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/samuel-johnson-50_art-of-life_every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-l_162847.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Every class of society has its cant of lamentation, which is understood or regarded by none but themselves…” — Samuel Johnson",
                "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": "Samuel Johnson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Every class of society has its...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-lamentation-which-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-lamentation-which-is/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
