--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never…" description: "\"Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.\" — William Hazlitt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/william-hazlitt-326_aspect_poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-de_69313.png" --- # Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but… ![“Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.” quote by William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/william-hazlitt-326_aspect_poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-de_69313.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/william-hazlitt-326_aspect_poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-de_69313.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/william-hazlitt-326_aspect_poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-de_69313.png) > “Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.” [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Voluntary poverty reflects a conscious, principled choice, not moral failure, framing it as a heroic stance. **In simple terms:** Choosing poverty can be noble. Key Takeaway Voluntary poverty is heroic. Themes ethics philosophy self-determination social values Mood thoughtful reflective Type aphorism philosophical observation When to use this quote - activist living simply - minimalist lifestyle - philosophical critique - social experiment Key Concepts choice morality identity Practical Applications - inspiring ethical debates - guiding minimalist movements Questions to Reflect On - What motivates someone to embrace poverty voluntarily? - How does society view voluntary poverty versus imposed poverty? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aspect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspect/) [Despicable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despicable/) [Heroical Aspect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroical-aspect-914341/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Poverty Voluntary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty-voluntary-914340/) [Takes Heroical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes-heroical-914342/) [Voluntary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voluntary/) ## Related quotes > [In Zen, poverty is voluntary, and considered not really as poverty so much as simplicity, freedom, unclutteredness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/in-zen-poverty-is-voluntary-and-considered-not-really-as-poverty-so/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Talent is the capacity of doing anything that depends on application and industry and it is a voluntary power, while genius is involuntary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/talent-is-the-capacity-of-doing-anything-that-depends-on-application/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [There is no one thoroughly despicable. We cannot descend much lower than an idiot; and an idiot has some advantages over a wise man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/there-is-no-one-thoroughly-despicable-we-cannot-descend-much-lower/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [It seems to me that inner growth is the whole moving force behind voluntary simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-elgin/it-seems-to-me-that-inner-growth-is-the-whole-moving-force-behind/) [Duane Elgin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-elgin/) > [Ignorance, when it is voluntary, is criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/ignorance-when-it-is-voluntary-is-criminal/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [None can be an impartial or wise observer of human life but from the vantage ground of what we should call voluntary poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/none-can-be-an-impartial-or-wise-observer-of-human-life-but-from-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There is reason to believe that voluntary activity, more than highly developed intellect, distinguishes humans from the animals which stand closest to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-s-vygotsky/there-is-reason-to-believe-that-voluntary-activity-more-than-highly/) [Lev S. 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No matter how broke you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/any-fool-that-had-once-helped-you-will-someday-make-known-to-everyone/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [The American way was for commerce, personal relationships, and religion to be voluntary. No one was forced to participate in something he didn't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/the-american-way-was-for-commerce-personal-relationships-and-religion/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) ## More by William Hazlitt > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-art-of-life-is-to-know-how-to-enjoy-a-little-and-to-endure-very/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are thankful for good-will rather than for services, for the motive than the quantum of favor received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-thankful-for-good-will-rather-than-for-services-for-the-motive/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The discussing the characters and foibles of common friends is a great sweetness and cement of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-discussing-the-characters-and-foibles-of-common-friends-is-a/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Want of principle is power. 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