--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He that thinks he can afford to be…" description: "\"He that thinks he can afford to be negligent is not far from being poor.\" — Samuel Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/samuel-johnson-50_afford_he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negli_1044673.png" --- # He that thinks he can afford to be negligent is not far… ![“He that thinks he can afford to be negligent is not far from being poor.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/samuel-johnson-50_afford_he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negli_1044673.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/samuel-johnson-50_afford_he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negli_1044673.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/samuel-johnson-50_afford_he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negli_1044673.png) > “He that thinks he can afford to be negligent is not far from being poor.” [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. Thinking you can neglect responsibilities without cost reveals a false sense of wealth. **In simple terms:** Neglecting duties shows true poverty. Key Takeaway Take responsibility before claiming wealth. Themes wealth responsibility poverty self‑deception Mood reflective serious Type aphilosophical advice When to use this quote - personal finance - career planning - family budgeting Key Concepts economics ethics Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities are you overlooking? - How does neglect affect your long‑term security? A Different Perspective Denial can mask deeper financial instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afford/) [Afford Negligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afford-negligent-2462485/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Neglect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglect/) [Negligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negligent-750367/) [Negligent Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negligent-far-2462487/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinks Afford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinks-afford-2462486/) ## Related quotes > [Celebrity is never more admired than by the negligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/celebrity-is-never-more-admired-than-by-the-negligent/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Economists are generally negligent of their heroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/economists-are-generally-negligent-of-their-heroes/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [You wouldn't think you could kill an ocean, would you? But we'll do it one day. That's how negligent we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/you-wouldn-t-think-you-could-kill-an-ocean-would-you-but-we-ll-do-it/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [I was a really negligent student.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-bankman-fried/i-was-a-really-negligent-student/) [Sam Bankman-Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-bankman-fried/) > [Celerity is never more admired than by the negligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleopatra/celerity-is-never-more-admired-than-by-the-negligent/) [Cleopatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleopatra/) > [Because coaching is a challenge, it makes you want to come back. But if you do, you know you're going to be negligent in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-drexler/because-coaching-is-a-challenge-it-makes-you-want-to-come-back-but-if/) [Clyde Drexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-drexler/) > [It is certain that, because the negligent do not struggle against self, they never achieve peace of soul or do so tardily, and never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-ignatius/it-is-certain-that-because-the-negligent-do-not-struggle-against-self/) [Saint Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-ignatius/) > [Being negligent is irrelevant, why be hell bound when you can be heaven sent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-negligent-is-irrelevant-why-be-hell-bound-when-you-can-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A woman without hobbies is dangerously self-negligent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/a-woman-without-hobbies-is-dangerously-self-negligent/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [The more opportunities there are in a Society for some persons to live upon the toil of others, and the less those others may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-chydenius/the-more-opportunities-there-are-in-a-society-for-some-persons-to/) [Anders Chydenius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-chydenius/) > [Let everyone who has the grace of intelligence fear that, because of it, he will be judged more heavily if he is negligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-of-sweden/let-everyone-who-has-the-grace-of-intelligence-fear-that-because-of/) [Bridget of Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-of-sweden/) > [“If things around you don't bother you then your surroundings are not perfect but you are negligent”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashutosh-prithvi-kashyap/if-things-around-you-don-t-bother-you-then-your-surroundings-are-not/) [Ashutosh Prithvi Kashyap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashutosh-prithvi-kashyap/) > [“If your negligent neighbor falls asleep with a lit cigarette in his mouth, setting his house on fire, he’s irresponsible and guilty. But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/if-your-negligent-neighbor-falls-asleep-with-a-lit-cigarette-in-his/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) > [Trust we have to, but never be negligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/trust-we-have-to-but-never-be-negligent/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [Gross negligence cannot possibly have intent because it cancels it out. If you're grossly negligent, intent's not a factor, you are or you aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/gross-negligence-cannot-possibly-have-intent-because-it-cancels-it/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## 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 Afford quotes > [We can't afford any president to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/we-can-t-afford-any-president-to-fail/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should buy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/just-because-you-can-afford-it-doesn-t-mean-you-should-buy-it/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [I am not a Ph.D. in economics or a doctorate in literature that I can afford to take my singing lightly. Even if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-kher/i-am-not-a-ph-d-in-economics-or-a-doctorate-in-literature-that-i-can/) [Kailash Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-kher/) > [Now I'm having to live with sales of around 50,000 per album - but I'm pretty content with my place in the general scheme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-knopfler/now-i-m-having-to-live-with-sales-of-around-50-000-per-album-but-i-m/) [David Knopfler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-knopfler/) > [I was lucky because I got so successful so early, and when you get successful early, then you can afford to be a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/i-was-lucky-because-i-got-so-successful-so-early-and-when-you-get/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [I have crooked toes from wearing boots that didn't fit me because that's all I could afford as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-have-crooked-toes-from-wearing-boots-that-didn-t-fit-me-because/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [The most common reason new mothers return to work sooner than they'd like to is because they can't afford to go without their salaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-von-tobel/the-most-common-reason-new-mothers-return-to-work-sooner-than-they-d/) [Alexa Von Tobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-von-tobel/) > [This fatigue can not afford to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israa-ali/this-fatigue-can-not-afford-to-do/) [ISRAA ALI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israa-ali/) > [A good player is a good player, it's just that we cannot afford signings that do not work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-dyche/a-good-player-is-a-good-player-it-s-just-that-we-cannot-afford/) [Sean Dyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-dyche/) > [I'm not the most talented writer in the world. I know that. But I also know that I'm disciplined, that I work my butt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-coe/i-m-not-the-most-talented-writer-in-the-world-i-know-that-but-i-also/) [David B. Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-coe/) > [Unfortunately, some people go to a restaurant, and they aren't really there to enjoy themselves. They're there because they think they deserve to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dinicol/unfortunately-some-people-go-to-a-restaurant-and-they-aren-t-really/) [Joe Dinicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dinicol/) > [Nobody has so many friends that he can afford to lose one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/nobody-has-so-many-friends-that-he-can-afford-to-lose-one/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [My earliest memories were when my mom would put me in the plays that she was in because she couldn't afford a babysitter... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-applegate/my-earliest-memories-were-when-my-mom-would-put-me-in-the-plays-that/) [Christina Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-applegate/) > [In Washington journalists can afford to live almost as well as people who work for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-washington-journalists-can-afford-to-live-almost-as-well-as-people/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'm a little bit tough because I can't afford to get my heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-glanville/i-m-a-little-bit-tough-because-i-can-t-afford-to-get-my-heart-broken/) [Brandi Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-glanville/) [Browse all 784 Afford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afford/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He that thinks he can afford to be negligent is not far from being poor.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negligent-is-not-far-from-being/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afford" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negligent-is-not-far-from-being/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/samuel-johnson-50_afford_he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negli_1044673.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/samuel-johnson-50_afford_he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negli_1044673.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/samuel-johnson-50_afford_he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negli_1044673.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He that thinks he can afford to be negligent is not far from being poor.” — 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": "He that thinks he can afford...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negligent-is-not-far-from-being/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-that-thinks-he-can-afford-to-be-negligent-is-not-far-from-being/#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 } } ] } ```