--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the most significant characteristic of…" description: "\"If the most significant characteristic of man is the complex of biological needs he shares with all members of his species, then the best lives for the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/w-h-auden-856_art_if-the-most-significant-characteristic-o_2449760.png" --- # If the most significant characteristic of man is the… ![“If the most significant characteristic of man is the complex of biological needs he shares with all members of his species, then the best lives for the writer to observe are those in which the role of natural necessity is clearest, namely, the lives of the very poor.” quote by W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/w-h-auden-856_art_if-the-most-significant-characteristic-o_2449760.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/w-h-auden-856_art_if-the-most-significant-characteristic-o_2449760.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/w-h-auden-856_art_if-the-most-significant-characteristic-o_2449760.png) > “If the most significant characteristic of man is the complex of biological needs he shares with all members of his species, then the best lives for the writer to observe are those in which the role of natural necessity is clearest, namely, the lives of the very poor.” [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poorest people most clearly show basic human needs, offering writers a vivid lens on essential life. **In simple terms:** Poor reveal basic human needs. Key Takeaway Observe simplicity to understand humanity. Themes poverty humanity observation Mood reflective somber Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - social research - journalism - creative writing Key Concepts sociology philosophy literature Questions to Reflect On - What does poverty teach about universal needs? - How can writers balance focus on the poor and other subjects? A Different Perspective Focusing only on poverty may overlook other human experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Necessity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessity/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [And it is characteristic of man that he alone has any sense of good and evil, of just and unjust, and the like, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/and-it-is-characteristic-of-man-that-he-alone-has-any-sense-of-good/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Women are not a doormat. We are equivalent to men. It is just that we have different bodies and different biological needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalki-koechlin/women-are-not-a-doormat-we-are-equivalent-to-men-it-is-just-that-we/) [Kalki Koechlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalki-koechlin/) > [“It does not take much to provide the objective biological needs of Homo sapiens. After those needs are met, more money can be spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/it-does-not-take-much-to-provide-the-objective-biological-needs-of/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [When we see an effect happen always in the same manner, we infer that it takes place by a natural necessity; as, for instance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/when-we-see-an-effect-happen-always-in-the-same-manner-we-infer-that/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Enclosed within his artificial creation, man finds that there is “no exit”; that he cannot pierce the shell of technology again to find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/enclosed-within-his-artificial-creation-man-finds-that-there-is-no/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [When one wants to be natural, of necessity one becomes the reverse of natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/when-one-wants-to-be-natural-of-necessity-one-becomes-the-reverse-of/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Only a people serving an apprenticeship to nature can be trusted with machines. Only such people will so contrive and control those machines that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-read/only-a-people-serving-an-apprenticeship-to-nature-can-be-trusted-with/) [Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/) > [For conservation to be successful it is necessary to take into consideration that it is a characteristic of man that he can only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-philip/for-conservation-to-be-successful-it-is-necessary-to-take-into/) [Prince Philip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-philip/) > [If there is a defining characteristic of a man as opposed to a boy, maybe it's patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/if-there-is-a-defining-characteristic-of-a-man-as-opposed-to-a-boy/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [There is one further distinguishing characteristic of man which is very specific indeed and about which there can be no dispute, and that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/there-is-one-further-distinguishing-characteristic-of-man-which-is/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Zeal for the public good is the characteristic of a man of honor and a gentleman, and must take the place of pleasures, profits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/zeal-for-the-public-good-is-the-characteristic-of-a-man-of-honor-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing is more characteristic of a man than the manner in which he behaves toward fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/nothing-is-more-characteristic-of-a-man-than-the-manner-in-which-he/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [The obsession with suicide is characteristic of the man who can neither live nor die, and whose attention never swerves from this double impossibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/the-obsession-with-suicide-is-characteristic-of-the-man-who-can/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [A man is known to his dog by the smell, to his tailor by the coat, to his friend by the smile; each of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/a-man-is-known-to-his-dog-by-the-smell-to-his-tailor-by-the-coat-to/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The strong individual loves the earth so much he lusts for recurrence. He can smile in the face of the most terrible thought: meaningless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-strong-individual-loves-the-earth-so-much-he-lusts-for-recurrence/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by W. H. Auden > [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Why doesn't the United States take over the monarchy and unite with England? England does have important assets. Naturally the longer you wait, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/why-doesn-t-the-united-states-take-over-the-monarchy-and-unite-with/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The commonest ivory tower is that of the average man, the state of passivity towards experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-commonest-ivory-tower-is-that-of-the-average-man-the-state-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Harrow the house of the dead; look shining at New styles of architecture, a change of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/harrow-the-house-of-the-dead-look-shining-at-new-styles-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Most poetry is the utterance of a man in some state of passion, love, joy, grief, rage, etc., and no doubt this is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/most-poetry-is-the-utterance-of-a-man-in-some-state-of-passion-love/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [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/) > [If age, which is certainly Just as wicked as youth, look any wiser, It is only that youth is still able to believe It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/if-age-which-is-certainly-just-as-wicked-as-youth-look-any-wiser-it/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [“Those to whom evil is done, do evil in return”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/those-to-whom-evil-is-done-do-evil-in-return/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [I and the public know What all schoolchildren learn, Those to whom evil is done Do evil in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/i-and-the-public-know-what-all-schoolchildren-learn-those-to-whom/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [One cannot walk through an assembly factory and not feel that one is in Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/one-cannot-walk-through-an-assembly-factory-and-not-feel-that-one-is/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [How happy the lot of the mathematician. He is judged solely by his peers, and the standard is so high that no colleague or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/how-happy-the-lot-of-the-mathematician-he-is-judged-solely-by-his/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Perhaps there is only one cardinal sin: impatience. Because of impatience we were driven out of Paradise, because of impatience we cannot return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/perhaps-there-is-only-one-cardinal-sin-impatience-because-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The windiest militant trash Important Persons shout Is not so crude as our wish: What mad Nijinsky wrote About Diaghilev Is true of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-windiest-militant-trash-important-persons-shout-is-not-so-crude/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Time and fevers burn away Individual beauty from Thoughtful children, and the grave Proves the child ephemeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/time-and-fevers-burn-away-individual-beauty-from-thoughtful-children/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [To hunt for symbols in a fairy tale is absolutely fatal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/to-hunt-for-symbols-in-a-fairy-tale-is-absolutely-fatal/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) [Explore all 344 W. H. Auden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If the most significant characteristic of man is the complex of biological needs he shares with all members of his species, then the best lives for the writer to observe are those in which the role of natural necessity is clearest, namely, the lives of the very poor.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. H. Auden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/if-the-most-significant-characteristic-of-man-is-the-complex-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/if-the-most-significant-characteristic-of-man-is-the-complex-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/w-h-auden-856_art_if-the-most-significant-characteristic-o_2449760.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/w-h-auden-856_art_if-the-most-significant-characteristic-o_2449760.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/w-h-auden-856_art_if-the-most-significant-characteristic-o_2449760.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the most significant characteristic of man is the complex of biological needs he shares with all members…” — W. H. Auden", "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": "W. H. Auden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If the most significant characteristic of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/if-the-most-significant-characteristic-of-man-is-the-complex-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/if-the-most-significant-characteristic-of-man-is-the-complex-of/#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 } } ] } ```