--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are inclined to call things by the…" description: "\"We are inclined to call things by the wrong names. We call prosperity 'happiness', and adversity 'misery' eventhough adversity is the school of wisdom ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/william-penn-1104_adversity_we-are-inclined-to-call-things-by-the-wr_866119.png" --- # We are inclined to call things by the wrong names. We call… ![“We are inclined to call things by the wrong names. We call prosperity 'happiness', and adversity 'misery' eventhough adversity is the school of wisdom and often the way to eternal happiness.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/william-penn-1104_adversity_we-are-inclined-to-call-things-by-the-wr_866119.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/william-penn-1104_adversity_we-are-inclined-to-call-things-by-the-wr_866119.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/william-penn-1104_adversity_we-are-inclined-to-call-things-by-the-wr_866119.png) > “We are inclined to call things by the wrong names. We call prosperity 'happiness', and adversity 'misery' eventhough adversity is the school of wisdom and often the way to eternal happiness.” [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We mislabel emotions, mistaking hardship for misery and wealth for happiness, missing deeper wisdom. **In simple terms:** Names mislead feelings. Key Takeaway Reevaluate labels, seek true joy. Themes perception language wisdom Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - financial planning - mental health - education Key Concepts philosophy semantic framing Questions to Reflect On - How do your labels shape your life? - What deeper truths lie beyond the name? A Different Perspective Labels can oversimplify complex experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Eternal happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal-happiness/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-adversity-903487/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Names Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names-prosperity-903486/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Prosperity Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity-happiness-478781/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [The liberty, prosperity, and the happiness of our country will always be the object of my most fervent prayers to the Supreme Author of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-monroe/the-liberty-prosperity-and-the-happiness-of-our-country-will-always/) [James Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-monroe/) > [“The abundant life should include all that life has freely given you – love, good health, success, prosperity, happiness, joy, spirituality, fulfilment, wisdom, purpose,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mensah-oteh/the-abundant-life-should-include-all-that-life-has-freely-given-you/) [Mensah Oteh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mensah-oteh/) > [Let us hopethat by the best cultivation of the physical world, beneath and around us; and the intellectual and moral world within us, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-hopethat-by-the-best-cultivation-of-the-physical-world-beneath/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I have observed 100,000 families over my years of investment counseling. I always saw greater prosperity and happiness among those families who tithed than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/i-have-observed-100-000-families-over-my-years-of-investment/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [Nothing contributes so much to the prosperity and happiness of a country as high profits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/nothing-contributes-so-much-to-the-prosperity-and-happiness-of-a/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [“When there is no peace in prosperity, then how can there be peace in misfortune? Happiness is not in misfortune or prosperity, happiness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-there-is-no-peace-in-prosperity-then-how-can-there-be-peace-in/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Your prosperity and happiness will ultimately be determined by the enrichment you create for others in this world. 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And the coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/satsang-means-the-coming-together-yog-of-the-eternal-sat-it-is-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [I have only one purpose: to make people free, to urge them towards freedom, to help them to break away from all limitations, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/i-have-only-one-purpose-to-make-people-free-to-urge-them-towards/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) ## More by William Penn > [Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/love-grows-lust-wastes-by-enjoyment-and-the-reason-is-that-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Once you've accumulated sufficient knowledge to get by, you're too old to remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/once-you-ve-accumulated-sufficient-knowledge-to-get-by-you-re-too-old/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldn-t-conquer-thy-weakness-thou-must-not-gratify-it/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. 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Those who will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldst-rule-well-thou-must-rule-for-god-and-to-do-that-thou/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God, and feel His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/in-the-rush-and-noise-of-life-as-you-have-intervals-step-home-within/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Be sure that religion cannot be right that a man is the worse for having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/be-sure-that-religion-cannot-be-right-that-a-man-is-the-worse-for/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) [Explore all 291 William Penn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) [James Buckham Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buckham-kennedy/) > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) [S.E. SEVER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-sever/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are inclined to call things by the wrong names. 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