--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can do without any article of luxury…" description: "\"We can do without any article of luxury we have never had; but when once obtained, it is not in human natur' to surrender it voluntarily.\" — Thomas Cha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/thomas-chandler-haliburton-996_articles_we-can-do-without-any-article-of-luxury_1903227.png" --- # We can do without any article of luxury we have never had… ![“We can do without any article of luxury we have never had; but when once obtained, it is not in human natur' to surrender it voluntarily.” quote by Thomas Chandler Haliburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/thomas-chandler-haliburton-996_articles_we-can-do-without-any-article-of-luxury_1903227.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/thomas-chandler-haliburton-996_articles_we-can-do-without-any-article-of-luxury_1903227.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/thomas-chandler-haliburton-996_articles_we-can-do-without-any-article-of-luxury_1903227.png) > “We can do without any article of luxury we have never had; but when once obtained, it is not in human natur' to surrender it voluntarily.” [Thomas Chandler Haliburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chandler-haliburton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People never willingly give up comforts they never owned, but once acquired, they become hard to relinquish. **In simple terms:** We cling to comforts we never had before. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage attachment to newly acquired luxuries. Themes luxury human nature attachment volition economics Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical social When to use this quote - consumer habits - new technology adoption - financial planning Key Concepts behavioral economics psychology of desire Questions to Reflect On - Why is surrendering luxury difficult? - How can societies balance desire and restraint? A Different Perspective Luxury can create dependency and inequality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Articles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/articles/) [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Human Natur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-natur-2820881/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Luxury Obtained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury-obtained-2820879/) [Natur Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natur-surrender-2820882/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) [Surrender Voluntarily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender-voluntarily-2820880/) [Voluntarily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voluntarily/) ## Related quotes > [“Luxury cannot be obtained other than by enslaving other people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/luxury-cannot-be-obtained-other-than-by-enslaving-other-people/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [As a general principle you should not force young men to do their duty, but let them do it voluntarily and thereby develop their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/as-a-general-principle-you-should-not-force-young-men-to-do-their/) [Robert E. 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