---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poverty is no disgrace to a man, but it…"
description: "\"Poverty is no disgrace to a man, but it is confoundedly inconvenient\" — Sydney Smith"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/sydney-smith-6523_disgrace_poverty-is-no-disgrace-to-a-man-but-it-i_255481.png"
---

#  Poverty is no disgrace to a man, but it is confoundedly…

![“Poverty is no disgrace to a man, but it is confoundedly inconvenient” quote by Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/sydney-smith-6523_disgrace_poverty-is-no-disgrace-to-a-man-but-it-i_255481.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/sydney-smith-6523_disgrace_poverty-is-no-disgrace-to-a-man-but-it-i_255481.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/sydney-smith-6523_disgrace_poverty-is-no-disgrace-to-a-man-but-it-i_255481.png)

> “Poverty is no disgrace to a man, but it is confoundedly inconvenient”

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

## About This Quote

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

Poverty is not shameful, but it creates significant inconvenience.

**In simple terms:** Poverty isn’t disgraceful, but it’s inconvenient.

Key Takeaway

Address systemic barriers that make poverty burdensome.

Themes

poverty dignity inconvenience social justice

Mood

empathetic critical

Type

philosophical advocacy

When to use this quote

- housing policy
- employment programs
- education access
- healthcare reform

Key Concepts

Economic hardship human dignity

Questions to Reflect On

- How does society view poverty?
- What practical steps reduce poverty’s inconvenience?

A Different Perspective

Focusing on inconvenience may overlook deeper oppression.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/)

## Related quotes

> [Poverty us no disgrace to a man, but it is confoundedly inconvenient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/poverty-us-no-disgrace-to-a-man-but-it-is-confoundedly-inconvenient/)

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> [Poverty is not a disgrace, but it's terribly inconvenient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-berle/poverty-is-not-a-disgrace-but-it-s-terribly-inconvenient/)

[Milton Berle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-berle/)

> [When I consider how little of a rarity children are -- that every street and blind alley swarms with them -- that the poorest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/when-i-consider-how-little-of-a-rarity-children-are-that-every-street/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

> [Poverty is no disgrace. But it is certainly not a recommendation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/poverty-is-no-disgrace-but-it-is-certainly-not-a-recommendation/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [An avowal of poverty is no disgrace to any man; to make no effort to escape it is indeed disgraceful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/an-avowal-of-poverty-is-no-disgrace-to-any-man-to-make-no-effort-to/)

[Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/)

> [It's no disgrace to be old. But damn if it isn't inconvenient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/it-s-no-disgrace-to-be-old-but-damn-if-it-isn-t-inconvenient/)

[Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/)

> [When I consider how little of a rarity children arethat every street and blind alley swarms with themthat the poorest people commonly have them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/when-i-consider-how-little-of-a-rarity-children-arethat-every-street/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

> [“Why should sinners prosper and sins suffer? It is ignorant; don't think that the poorer you are the quicker you will see God, sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience-johnson/why-should-sinners-prosper-and-sins-suffer-it-is-ignorant-don-t-think/)

[Patience Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience-johnson/)

> [Poverty of course is no disgrace, but it is damned annoying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pitt/poverty-of-course-is-no-disgrace-but-it-is-damned-annoying/)

[William Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pitt/)

> [“a little modesty averts disgrace”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bemy-wells/a-little-modesty-averts-disgrace/)

[Bemy Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bemy-wells/)

> [There is no disgrace in peace. There can never be dishonor in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-llywelyn/there-is-no-disgrace-in-peace-there-can-never-be-dishonor-in-peace/)

[Morgan Llywelyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-llywelyn/)

> [He will be the last to discover the disgrace of his house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/he-will-be-the-last-to-discover-the-disgrace-of-his-house/)

[Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/)

> [I had the feeling that if I encountered anyone they would intuit my disgrace and would judge me instantly. Nothing is more isolating than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-powers/i-had-the-feeling-that-if-i-encountered-anyone-they-would-intuit-my/)

[Kevin Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-powers/)

> [Sometimes one must try anything, it is no disgrace. On the contrary, it is a sign of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/sometimes-one-must-try-anything-it-is-no-disgrace-on-the-contrary-it/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [Losing is no disgrace if you've given your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-palmer/losing-is-no-disgrace-if-you-ve-given-your-best/)

[Jim Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-palmer/)

## More by Sydney Smith

> [Live always in the best company when you read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/live-always-in-the-best-company-when-you-read/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [Scotland: That garret of the earth - that knuckle-end of England - that land of Calvin, oatcakes, and sulfur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/scotland-that-garret-of-the-earth-that-knuckle-end-of-england-that/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [My living in Yorkshire was so far out of the way, that it was eleven miles away from a lemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/my-living-in-yorkshire-was-so-far-out-of-the-way-that-it-was-eleven/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [A comfortable house is a great source of happiness. It ranks immediately after health and a good conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/a-comfortable-house-is-a-great-source-of-happiness-it-ranks/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [How can a bishop marry? How can he flirt? The most he can say is "I will see you in the vestry after service."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/how-can-a-bishop-marry-how-can-he-flirt-the-most-he-can-say-is-i-will/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/it-is-the-greatest-of-all-mistakes-to-do-nothing-because-you-can-only/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [Silence is a girl's loudest shout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/silence-is-a-girl-s-loudest-shout/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. Every day sends to their graves obscure men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/a-great-deal-of-talent-is-lost-to-the-world-for-want-of-a-little/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [A man who wishes to make his way in life could do no better than go through the world with a boiling tea-kettle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/a-man-who-wishes-to-make-his-way-in-life-could-do-no-better-than-go/)

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> [ \[T\]he 47th proposition in Euclid might now be voted down with as much ease as any proposition in politics; and therefore if Lord Hawkesbury… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/t-he-47th-proposition-in-euclid-might-now-be-voted-down-with-as-much/)

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[Explore all 98 Sydney Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

## More Disgrace quotes

> [To what will love not stoop!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/to-what-will-love-not-stoop/)

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> [Without ... the creative imagination rushing in where bureaucratic angels fear to tread - without this, life is a mockery and a disgrace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-f-schumacher/without-the-creative-imagination-rushing-in-where-bureaucratic-angels/)

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> [Losing is no disgrace if you've given your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-palmer/losing-is-no-disgrace-if-you-ve-given-your-best/)

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[Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/)

> [New York State is upside down and backwards; high taxes and low performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cuomo/new-york-state-is-upside-down-and-backwards-high-taxes-and-low/)

[Andrew Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cuomo/)

> [Putting your child into a beauty pageant is a disgrace...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/putting-your-child-into-a-beauty-pageant-is-a-disgrace/)

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

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[Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/)

> [Poverty of course is no disgrace, but it is damned annoying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pitt/poverty-of-course-is-no-disgrace-but-it-is-damned-annoying/)

[William Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pitt/)

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[Bemy Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bemy-wells/)

Browse all 459 Disgrace quotes

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