--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We bore ourselves in order to earn money…" description: "\"We bore ourselves in order to earn money that we'll later spend on trying to de-bore ourselves\" — Tom Hodgkinson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/tom-hodgkinson-2852_bores_we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money_686640.png" --- # We bore ourselves in order to earn money that we'll later… ![“We bore ourselves in order to earn money that we'll later spend on trying to de-bore ourselves” quote by Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/tom-hodgkinson-2852_bores_we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money_686640.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/tom-hodgkinson-2852_bores_we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money_686640.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/tom-hodgkinson-2852_bores_we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money_686640.png) > “We bore ourselves in order to earn money that we'll later spend on trying to de-bore ourselves” [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests people work hard to earn money only to spend it on activities that numb boredom, creating a cycle of ennui. **In simple terms:** Work to earn, then use money to escape boredom. Key Takeaway Break the cycle of work‑boredom. Themes consumerism existential monotony Mood reflective critical Type philosophical social critique When to use this quote - career planning - mindful spending - creative hobbies Key Concepts hedonism self‑sabotage capitalist critique Questions to Reflect On - Why do we seek distraction after work? - What fulfilling activities replace “de‑bore” pursuits? A Different Perspective May ignore necessity of work for purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bores/) [Earn Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earn-money/) [Later Spend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/later-spend-503581/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Spend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend/) [Spend Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend-trying-366249/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Bore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-bore-1010217/) ## Related quotes > [Crassly put: When I write, I am trying not to bore myself and my readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/crassly-put-when-i-write-i-am-trying-not-to-bore-myself-and-my-readers/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [Later on you could spend some time with me. If you want to all at sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-cullum/later-on-you-could-spend-some-time-with-me-if-you-want-to-all-at-sea/) [Jamie Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-cullum/) > [I'm trying to keep it fresh for me. I'm just trying to not bore myself. And if I can do a detective novel, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-m-trying-to-keep-it-fresh-for-me-i-m-just-trying-to-not-bore-myself/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [Let's spend less on trying to fix the unfixable in the last five years of life and spend more supporting people so that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/let-s-spend-less-on-trying-to-fix-the-unfixable-in-the-last-five/) [Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/) > [My time is far too valuable for me to spend any of it trying to improve myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/my-time-is-far-too-valuable-for-me-to-spend-any-of-it-trying-to/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) > [Life's too short to spend it trying to keep others happy. You can't please everyone. To fulfill your destiny, stay true to your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/life-s-too-short-to-spend-it-trying-to-keep-others-happy-you-can-t/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [“Most of us spend ourselves trying to be something that we’re not. And if we’d just spend that energy on growing into who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/most-of-us-spend-ourselves-trying-to-be-something-that-we-re-not-and/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Life is too short to spend it trying to keep everyone happy. Keep your focus on pleasing God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-too-short-to-spend-it-trying-to-keep-everyone-happy-keep-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your time is limited, so don't spend it trying to live someone else's life. Don't be trapped by other peoples problems. Don't let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-macdonald/your-time-is-limited-so-don-t-spend-it-trying-to-live-someone-else-s/) [Kyle MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-macdonald/) > [Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/your-problem-is-how-you-are-going-to-spend-this-one-odd-and-precious/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Those who earn money know best how to spend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-turner/those-who-earn-money-know-best-how-to-spend-it/) [Anthea Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-turner/) > [Get that right, then- if you get the quality right, then the marketability or whatever; your ability to sell videos or your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-atkinson/get-that-right-then-if-you-get-the-quality-right-then-the/) [Rowan Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-atkinson/) > [“I’m going to kill Mr. Mysterious for this. Kill that crazy motherfucker. Why does he have to live on the edge all the time?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-huss/i-m-going-to-kill-mr-mysterious-for-this-kill-that-crazy-motherfucker/) [J.A. Huss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-huss/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“The writer must earn money in order to be able to live and to write, but he must by no means live and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/the-writer-must-earn-money-in-order-to-be-able-to-live-and-to-write/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) ## More by Tom Hodgkinson > [By taking out a loan, I am committing myself to years of interest repayments, and therefore to years of wage slavery. And the UK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/by-taking-out-a-loan-i-am-committing-myself-to-years-of-interest/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Writing a book is a brilliant thing because once you've finished it, you've done it, and there's the potential for it to go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/writing-a-book-is-a-brilliant-thing-because-once-you-ve-finished-it/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Truly, the bench is a boon to idlers. Whoever first came up with the idea is a genius: free public resting places where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/truly-the-bench-is-a-boon-to-idlers-whoever-first-came-up-with-the/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Beauty, pleasure, freedom and plenty of sleep: these are the hallmarks of a successful idler's break. Travel should not be hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/beauty-pleasure-freedom-and-plenty-of-sleep-these-are-the-hallmarks/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [These days we seem more bound to our bosses than ever before. We even identify our own selves with the jobs we do: 'What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/these-days-we-seem-more-bound-to-our-bosses-than-ever-before-we-even/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [The way to stop feeling guilty is to read stuff - I'm not saying my book, but works by Bertrand Russell or Oscar Wilde,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/the-way-to-stop-feeling-guilty-is-to-read-stuff-i-m-not-saying-my/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [The phrase 'work/life balance' encapsulates a depressing outlook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/the-phrase-work-life-balance-encapsulates-a-depressing-outlook/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [The idea of a government is to create an ordered, willing work force where there's no trouble. I think idlers are generally seen as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/the-idea-of-a-government-is-to-create-an-ordered-willing-work-force/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [When stuck years ago in a job I hated, my only friend was the public bench. As the tedious mornings dragged on, how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/when-stuck-years-ago-in-a-job-i-hated-my-only-friend-was-the-public/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [All poets are idlers, even if all idlers are not poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/all-poets-are-idlers-even-if-all-idlers-are-not-poets/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Pain will never leave us. Instead of putting energy into destroying pain, we need to put energy into creating pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/pain-will-never-leave-us-instead-of-putting-energy-into-destroying/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Sensible people advise against drinking on an empty stomach, but to my mind it is the best sort of drinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/sensible-people-advise-against-drinking-on-an-empty-stomach-but-to-my/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Paradoxically, to be truly idle, you also have to be efficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/paradoxically-to-be-truly-idle-you-also-have-to-be-efficient/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Am I the only person in the world who is shocked and amazed at the ongoing flattery of uebergeek Mark Zuckerberg?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/am-i-the-only-person-in-the-world-who-is-shocked-and-amazed-at-the/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [I would like to propose slow cycling. Commute by bike. At a stroke, you remove the need for and absurd cost of public transport.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/i-would-like-to-propose-slow-cycling-commute-by-bike-at-a-stroke-you/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) [Explore all 144 Tom Hodgkinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) ## More Bores quotes > [It's a bore - B-O-R-E - when you find you've begun to rot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/it-s-a-bore-b-o-r-e-when-you-find-you-ve-begun-to-rot/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Redtail was a brave warrior. His loyalty to ThunderClan could never be doubted. I always relied on his judgment, for it bore witness to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-hunter/redtail-was-a-brave-warrior-his-loyalty-to-thunderclan-could-never-be/) [Erin Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-hunter/) > [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The poet's first rule must be never to bore his readers; and his best way of keeping this rule is never to bore himself-which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/the-poet-s-first-rule-must-be-never-to-bore-his-readers-and-his-best/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [Attractive Etonians who go straight onto the Stock Exchange missing University on their fathers advice: the raw material of the great bores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-madan/attractive-etonians-who-go-straight-onto-the-stock-exchange-missing/) [Geoffrey Madan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-madan/) > [Life in this society being, at best, an utter bore and no aspect of society being at all relevant to women, there remains to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/life-in-this-society-being-at-best-an-utter-bore-and-no-aspect-of/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [All politicians are bores and liars and fakes. I talk to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/all-politicians-are-bores-and-liars-and-fakes-i-talk-to-people/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [And I am quite serious when I say that I do not believe there are, on the whole earth besides, so many intensified bores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/and-i-am-quite-serious-when-i-say-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are-on/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Mr. Presley has no discernible singing ability. His specialty is rhythm songs which he renders in an undistinguished whine; his phrasing, if it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-gould/mr-presley-has-no-discernible-singing-ability-his-specialty-is-rhythm/) [Jack Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-gould/) > [Mark how fleeting and paltry is the estate of man-yesterday in embryo, tomorrow a mummy or ashes. So for the hairsbreadth of time assigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/mark-how-fleeting-and-paltry-is-the-estate-of-man-yesterday-in-embryo/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [It is an occupational hazard of devout folk to become stuffy bores. This should not be. Of all people, we should be the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/it-is-an-occupational-hazard-of-devout-folk-to-become-stuffy-bores/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [There still remains one effort of magnanimity, one sacrifice of prejudice and passion, to be made by the individuals throughout the nation who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/there-still-remains-one-effort-of-magnanimity-one-sacrifice-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Men will pay large sums to whores for telling them they are not bores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/men-will-pay-large-sums-to-whores-for-telling-them-they-are-not-bores/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The cross of Christ is the sweetest burden that I ever bore; it is such a burden as wings are to a bird, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/the-cross-of-christ-is-the-sweetest-burden-that-i-ever-bore-it-is/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [It is a sin to bore a child with the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/it-is-a-sin-to-bore-a-child-with-the-word-of-god/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) [Browse all 653 Bores quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bores/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We bore ourselves in order to earn money that we'll later spend on trying to de-bore ourselves", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Hodgkinson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money-that-we-ll-later-spend-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bores" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money-that-we-ll-later-spend-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/tom-hodgkinson-2852_bores_we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money_686640.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/tom-hodgkinson-2852_bores_we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money_686640.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/tom-hodgkinson-2852_bores_we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money_686640.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We bore ourselves in order to earn money that we'll later spend on trying to de-bore ourselves” — Tom Hodgkinson", "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": "Tom Hodgkinson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We bore ourselves in order to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money-that-we-ll-later-spend-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/we-bore-ourselves-in-order-to-earn-money-that-we-ll-later-spend-on/#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 } } ] } ```