--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They wonder much to hear that gold which…" description: "\"“They wonder much to hear that gold which in itself is so useless a thing, should be everywhere so much esteemed, that even men for whom it was made, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/thomas-more-3382_gold_they-wonder-much-to-hear-that-gold-which_1123535.jpg" --- # They wonder much to hear that gold which in itself is so… ![“They wonder much to hear that gold which in itself is so useless a thing, should be everywhere so much esteemed, that even men for whom it was made, and by whom it has value, should yet be thought of less value than this metal. That a man of lead, who has no more sense than a log of wood, and is…” quote by Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/thomas-more-3382_gold_they-wonder-much-to-hear-that-gold-which_1123535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/thomas-more-3382_gold_they-wonder-much-to-hear-that-gold-which_1123535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/thomas-more-3382_gold_they-wonder-much-to-hear-that-gold-which_1123535.jpg) > ““They wonder much to hear that gold which in itself is so useless a thing, should be everywhere so much esteemed, that even men for whom it was made, and by whom it has value, should yet be thought of less value than this metal. That a man of lead, who has no more sense than a log of wood, and is as bad as he is foolish, should have many wise and good men to serve him, only because he has a great heap of that metal...”” [Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-more/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques society’s overvaluation of wealth, suggesting that material riches can elevate incompetent leaders while diminishing truly wise individuals. **In simple terms:** Wealth can distort value and power. Key Takeaway Question the true worth of leaders beyond money. Themes power wealth leadership justice Mood critical reflective Type philosophical social commentary When to use this quote - political leadership - corporate governance - personal ambition - economic policy Key Concepts materialism social hierarchy value perception Questions to Reflect On - How does wealth influence our perception of competence? - What qualities should truly define a leader? A Different Perspective Wealth does not guarantee wisdom or moral authority. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Esteemed Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteemed-men-3052652/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Gold Useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold-useless-3052653/) [Hear Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hear-gold-3052654/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Men Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-value-329979/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riches/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wise men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-men/) ## Related quotes > [“they wonder much to hear that gold, which in itself is so useless a thing, should be everywhere so much esteemed, that even men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-more/they-wonder-much-to-hear-that-gold-which-in-itself-is-so-useless-a/) [Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-more/) > [Gold is the most useless thing in the world. I am not interested in money but in the things of which money is merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/gold-is-the-most-useless-thing-in-the-world-i-am-not-interested-in/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [“For many men value appearances more than reality—thus they violate what’s right. Everyone’s prepared to sigh over some suffering man, though no sorrow really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/for-many-men-value-appearances-more-than-reality-thus-they-violate/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [“Phaeton said, "No civilization can exist without money. Even one in which energy is as cheap and free as air on Earth, would still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-wright/phaeton-said-no-civilization-can-exist-without-money-even-one-in/) [John C. 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I alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/the-multitude-of-men-look-satisfied-and-pleased-as-if-enjoying-a-full/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“Great men's value increases with age.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/habeeb-akande/great-men-s-value-increases-with-age/) [Habeeb Akande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/habeeb-akande/) > [As I said, men value their independence in a weird way, above practically everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weinberg/as-i-said-men-value-their-independence-in-a-weird-way-above/) [George Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-weinberg/) > [Men do not value a good deed unless it brings a reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/men-do-not-value-a-good-deed-unless-it-brings-a-reward/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Equality before the law is probably forever unattainable. 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I ask him. 'Not for your benefit, but for theirs. They meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-more/why-do-you-suppose-they-made-you-king-in-the-first-place-i-ask-him/) [Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-more/) > [“This lively health, when entirely free from all mixture of pain, of itself gives an inward pleasure, independent of all external objects of delight;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-more/this-lively-health-when-entirely-free-from-all-mixture-of-pain-of/) [Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-more/) > [Nobody sees a flower really,it is so small. We haven't time,and to see takes time- like to have a friend takes time. 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That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [Set the bird's wings with gold and it will never again soar in thesky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/set-the-bird-s-wings-with-gold-and-it-will-never-again-soar-in-thesky/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [A great smile is a wonderful asset, but a good heart is pure gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/a-great-smile-is-a-wonderful-asset-but-a-good-heart-is-pure-gold/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/ring-out-false-pride-in-place-and-blood-the-civic-slander-and-the/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) > [Just as the setting sun turned the clouds to liquid gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/just-as-the-setting-sun-turned-the-clouds-to-liquid-gold/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [No matter what. Wherever your mind wanders, it seems to turn up at the same Field of Dreams. It's the vision you wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/no-matter-what-wherever-your-mind-wanders-it-seems-to-turn-up-at-the/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [The spectacle of a great, solvent government paying a fictitious price for gold it did not want and did not need and doing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garet-garrett/the-spectacle-of-a-great-solvent-government-paying-a-fictitious-price/) [Garet Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garet-garrett/) > [Nothing good comes on a platter of gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-good-comes-on-a-platter-of-gold/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All the people in Korea are cheering me like I'm a gold medalist or something, so I have a responsibility to my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psy/all-the-people-in-korea-are-cheering-me-like-i-m-a-gold-medalist-or/) [PSY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psy/) > [All metallics are neutrals. So it is absolutely fine to mix gold and silver; you just want it to look like it has purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/all-metallics-are-neutrals-so-it-is-absolutely-fine-to-mix-gold-and/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) > [He gives only the worthless gold who gives from a sense of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/he-gives-only-the-worthless-gold-who-gives-from-a-sense-of-duty/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) [Browse all 3,806 Gold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They wonder much to hear that gold which in itself is so useless a thing, should be everywhere so much esteemed, that even men for whom it was made, and by whom it has value, should yet be thought of less value than this metal. 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