--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worst that could be said of any man…" description: "\"“The worst that could be said of any man was that he did not pay attention”\" — William Meredith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/william-meredith-59667_attention_the-worst-that-could-be-said-of-any-man_610169.jpg" --- # The worst that could be said of any man was that he did… ![“The worst that could be said of any man was that he did not pay attention” quote by William Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/william-meredith-59667_attention_the-worst-that-could-be-said-of-any-man_610169.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/william-meredith-59667_attention_the-worst-that-could-be-said-of-any-man_610169.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/william-meredith-59667_attention_the-worst-that-could-be-said-of-any-man_610169.jpg) > ““The worst that could be said of any man was that he did not pay attention”” [William Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-meredith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the importance of attentiveness as a measure of respect. **In simple terms:** Pay attention to show respect. Key Takeaway Listen actively to value others. Themes attention respect communication Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - work meetings - teaching - customer service Key Concepts mindfulness empathy Questions to Reflect On - What distractions prevent you from listening? - How can you improve focus? A Different Perspective May be impossible to always be fully attentive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Pay attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-attention/) [Said Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-man/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Worst Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-said-1251426/) ## Related quotes > [“The worst that can be said of a man is that he did not pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-meredith/the-worst-that-can-be-said-of-a-man-is-that-he-did-not-pay-attention/) [William Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-meredith/) > [“The best moments in my life,” I said, “have come because I loved somebody.” “Yeah,” he said. “And the worst,” I said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/the-best-moments-in-my-life-i-said-have-come-because-i-loved-somebody/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [A man should be able to hear, and to bear, the worst that could be said of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/a-man-should-be-able-to-hear-and-to-bear-the-worst-that-could-be-said/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [I think pastors are the worst listeners. We're so used to speaking, teaching, giving answers. We must learn to be quiet, quit being so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/i-think-pastors-are-the-worst-listeners-we-re-so-used-to-speaking/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“A man told me a while ago he could not believe a thing he had never seen. I said, “Man, did you ever see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/a-man-told-me-a-while-ago-he-could-not-believe-a-thing-he-had-never/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“Accidents happen. I will, um . . . I will pay to have your house rebuilt." "And my barn?" a woman called out. Liam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/accidents-happen-i-will-um-i-will-pay-to-have-your-house-rebuilt-and/) [Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/) > [Whatever else may be said of man, this one thing is clear: He is not what he is capable of being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/whatever-else-may-be-said-of-man-this-one-thing-is-clear-he-is-not/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I'll call you," Manny said. "You do that, my man. You frickin' do that." -Manny to V](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/i-ll-call-you-manny-said-you-do-that-my-man-you-frickin-do-that-manny/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [“And Elvex said, "I was the man." - In "Robot dreams" (Short story)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/and-elvex-said-i-was-the-man-in-robot-dreams-short-story/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [When all is said, a man's final judgment of his fellows must be based upon his knowledge of himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-sabatini/when-all-is-said-a-man-s-final-judgment-of-his-fellows-must-be-based/) [Rafael Sabatini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-sabatini/) > [“Wainscott, Deepspace Operations Group,’ said the man. ‘Wasn’t here, don’t exist, pleased to meet you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-frost/wainscott-deepspace-operations-group-said-the-man-wasn-t-here-don-t/) [Toby Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-frost/) > [Now I understand,” said the last man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/now-i-understand-said-the-last-man/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [“For the good that I would,’” he quoted, “‘I do not; and the evil that I would not, that I do.’” “Who said that?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/for-the-good-that-i-would-he-quoted-i-do-not-and-the-evil-that-i/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“But man is not made for defeat," he said. "A man can be destroyed but not defeated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/but-man-is-not-made-for-defeat-he-said-a-man-can-be-destroyed-but-not/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“Wasn’t it Machiavelli who said ‘Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-brasher/wasn-t-it-machiavelli-who-said-any-man-who-tries-to-be-good-all-the/) [Darius Brasher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-brasher/) ## More by William Meredith > [“What would you call his feeling for the words That keep him rich and orphaned and beloved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-meredith/what-would-you-call-his-feeling-for-the-words-that-keep-him-rich-and/) [William Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-meredith/) > [“The worst that can be said of a man is that he did not pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-meredith/the-worst-that-can-be-said-of-a-man-is-that-he-did-not-pay-attention/) [William Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-meredith/) > [“Life is some kind of loathsome hag who is forever threatening to turn beautiful”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-meredith/life-is-some-kind-of-loathsome-hag-who-is-forever-threatening-to-turn/) [William Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-meredith/) > [“Right words are born in courage, which results from our struggle to make sense of our various predicaments. Cheer is what words are "trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-meredith/right-words-are-born-in-courage-which-results-from-our-struggle-to/) [William Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-meredith/) [Explore all 5 William Meredith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-meredith/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The worst that could be said of any man was that he did not pay attention”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Meredith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-meredith/the-worst-that-could-be-said-of-any-man-was-that-he-did-not-pay/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-meredith/the-worst-that-could-be-said-of-any-man-was-that-he-did-not-pay/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/william-meredith-59667_attention_the-worst-that-could-be-said-of-any-man_610169.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/william-meredith-59667_attention_the-worst-that-could-be-said-of-any-man_610169.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/william-meredith-59667_attention_the-worst-that-could-be-said-of-any-man_610169.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The worst that could be said of any man was that he did not pay attention” — William Meredith", "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": "William Meredith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-meredith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The worst that could be said...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-meredith/the-worst-that-could-be-said-of-any-man-was-that-he-did-not-pay/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-meredith/the-worst-that-could-be-said-of-any-man-was-that-he-did-not-pay/#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 } } ] } ```