--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who want the fewest things are…" description: "\"Those who want the fewest things are nearest to the gods.\" — Socrates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/socrates-405_fewest_those-who-want-the-fewest-things-are-nea_2695843.jpg" --- # Those who want the fewest things are nearest to the gods. ![“Those who want the fewest things are nearest to the gods.” quote by Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/socrates-405_fewest_those-who-want-the-fewest-things-are-nea_2695843.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/socrates-405_fewest_those-who-want-the-fewest-things-are-nea_2695843.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/socrates-405_fewest_those-who-want-the-fewest-things-are-nea_2695843.jpg) > “Those who want the fewest things are nearest to the gods.” [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desiring fewer material possessions aligns one closer to divine simplicity and virtue. **In simple terms:** Less desire brings one nearer to the gods. Key Takeaway Simplify your wants. Themes ethics spirituality minimalism philosophy Mood thoughtful inspirational Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - personal budgeting - ethical decision making - spiritual practice - environmental sustainability Key Concepts Stoicism Greek philosophy virtue ethics Questions to Reflect On - Can true simplicity be achieved today? - Is minimalism always virtuous? A Different Perspective The claim may ignore practical needs of survival. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fewest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fewest/) [Fewest Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fewest-things-860624/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Nearest Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nearest-gods-1097925/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Things Nearest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-nearest-2694704/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Fewest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-fewest-1097926/) ## Related quotes > [Socrates said, "Those who want fewest things are nearest to the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/socrates-said-those-who-want-fewest-things-are-nearest-to-the-gods/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [You swing your best when you have the fewest things to think about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-jones/you-swing-your-best-when-you-have-the-fewest-things-to-think-about/) [Bobby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-jones/) > [I have lived long enough to learn how much there is I can really do without… He is nearest to God who needs the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-have-lived-long-enough-to-learn-how-much-there-is-i-can-really-do/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [He is nearest to the gods who knows how to be silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-elder/he-is-nearest-to-the-gods-who-knows-how-to-be-silent/) [Cato the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-elder/) > [The best things are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-best-things-are-nearest-breath-in-your-nostrils-light-in-your/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [A man's best things are nearest him, Lie close about his feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-monckton-milnes-1st-baron-houghton/a-man-s-best-things-are-nearest-him-lie-close-about-his-feet/) [Richard Monckton Milnes, 1st Baron Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-monckton-milnes-1st-baron-houghton/) > [Those who are pleased with the fewest things know the least, as those who are pleased with everything know nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/those-who-are-pleased-with-the-fewest-things-know-the-least-as-those/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We do not always see the things that are nearest to us. We pass by riches that lie close at hand and chase after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/we-do-not-always-see-the-things-that-are-nearest-to-us-we-pass-by/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [When grief is deepest, words are fewest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/when-grief-is-deepest-words-are-fewest/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [The biggest thing, I think, is to stay healthy and make the fewest mistakes, and then you can win... The margin of error is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-douglas/the-biggest-thing-i-think-is-to-stay-healthy-and-make-the-fewest/) [Hugh Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-douglas/) > [Sometimes the saddest stories take the fewest words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/sometimes-the-saddest-stories-take-the-fewest-words/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [The perfection of style consists in the use of the exact speech necessary to convey the sense in the fewest words consistent with perspicuity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-bradley/the-perfection-of-style-consists-in-the-use-of-the-exact-speech/) [Joseph P. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-bradley/) > [That man has the fewest wants who is the least anxious for wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/that-man-has-the-fewest-wants-who-is-the-least-anxious-for-wealth/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Men who have much to say use the fewest words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/men-who-have-much-to-say-use-the-fewest-words/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [“The fishing is best where the fewest go,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/the-fishing-is-best-where-the-fewest-go/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) ## More by Socrates > [By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/by-all-means-marry-if-you-get-a-good-wife-you-ll-be-happy-if-you-get/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Falling down is not a failure. Failure comes when you stay where you have fallen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/falling-down-is-not-a-failure-failure-comes-when-you-stay-where-you/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Do not go through life like leaf blown from here to there believing whatever you are told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/do-not-go-through-life-like-leaf-blown-from-here-to-there-believing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [If the whole world depends on today's youth, I can't see the world lasting another 100 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-the-whole-world-depends-on-today-s-youth-i-can-t-see-the-world/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“I only know, I know nothing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-only-know-i-know-nothing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-cannot-teach-anybody-anything-i-can-only-make-them-think/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [If measure and symmetry are absent from any composition in any degree, ruin awaits both the ingredients and the composition... Measure and symmetry are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-measure-and-symmetry-are-absent-from-any-composition-in-any-degree/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Marry a good woman, and be happy the rest of your life. Or, marry a bad, and become a good philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/marry-a-good-woman-and-be-happy-the-rest-of-your-life-or-marry-a-bad/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“For the fear of death is indeed the pretense of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being a pretense of knowing the unknown; and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/for-the-fear-of-death-is-indeed-the-pretense-of-wisdom-and-not-real/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [There is no difference between knowledge and temperance; for he who knows what is good and embraces it, who knows what is bad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/there-is-no-difference-between-knowledge-and-temperance-for-he-who/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Besides, it is a shame to let yourself grow old through neglect before seeing how you can develop the maximum beauty and strength of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/besides-it-is-a-shame-to-let-yourself-grow-old-through-neglect-before/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The greatest blessing granted to mankind come by way of madness, which is a divine gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-greatest-blessing-granted-to-mankind-come-by-way-of-madness-which/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I desire only to know the truth, and to live as well as I can...And, to the utmost of my power, I exhort all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-desire-only-to-know-the-truth-and-to-live-as-well-as-i-can-and-to/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [So you would rather suffer an injustice than do an injustice?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/so-you-would-rather-suffer-an-injustice-than-do-an-injustice/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-end-of-life-is-to-be-like-unto-god-and-the-soul-following-god/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) [Explore all 579 Socrates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## More Fewest quotes > [“The fishing is best where the fewest go,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/the-fishing-is-best-where-the-fewest-go/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [Men who have much to say use the fewest words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/men-who-have-much-to-say-use-the-fewest-words/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [That man has the fewest wants who is the least anxious for wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/that-man-has-the-fewest-wants-who-is-the-least-anxious-for-wealth/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The perfection of style consists in the use of the exact speech necessary to convey the sense in the fewest words consistent with perspicuity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-bradley/the-perfection-of-style-consists-in-the-use-of-the-exact-speech/) [Joseph P. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-bradley/) > [Sometimes the saddest stories take the fewest words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/sometimes-the-saddest-stories-take-the-fewest-words/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [The biggest thing, I think, is to stay healthy and make the fewest mistakes, and then you can win... 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I knew I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-thought-about-majoring-in-math-chemistry-and-english-but-math-had/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [Say what you have to say in the fewest possible words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-bryant/say-what-you-have-to-say-in-the-fewest-possible-words/) [Arthur Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-bryant/) > [If you really understand something, you can say it in the fewest words, instead of thrashing about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/if-you-really-understand-something-you-can-say-it-in-the-fewest-words/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [You swing your best when you have the fewest things to think about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-jones/you-swing-your-best-when-you-have-the-fewest-things-to-think-about/) [Bobby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-jones/) [Browse all 13 Fewest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fewest/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those who want the fewest things are nearest to the gods.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Socrates" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/those-who-want-the-fewest-things-are-nearest-to-the-gods/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fewest" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/those-who-want-the-fewest-things-are-nearest-to-the-gods/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/socrates-405_fewest_those-who-want-the-fewest-things-are-nea_2695843.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/socrates-405_fewest_those-who-want-the-fewest-things-are-nea_2695843.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/socrates-405_fewest_those-who-want-the-fewest-things-are-nea_2695843.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those who want the fewest things are nearest to the gods.” — Socrates", "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": "Socrates", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Those who want the fewest things...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/those-who-want-the-fewest-things-are-nearest-to-the-gods/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/those-who-want-the-fewest-things-are-nearest-to-the-gods/#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 } } ] } ```