Henry David Thoreau on Financial Idleness
on Friday, October 31, 2014Henry David Thoreau Money Quotation saying that making money the reason behind any activity is a true waste of time. Henry David Thoreau said:
“To have done anything just for money is to have been truly idle” — Henry David Thoreau
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In this quote, Henry David Thoreau is suggesting that working solely for financial gain, without higher purpose or meaning, represents a waste of one’s time and potential.
When he states that to have “done anything just for money is to have been truly idle”, Thoreau means that occupying oneself with tasks motivated only by earning income, without deeper motivations, amounts to being essentially unproductive despite appearing busy.
He appears to believe that to find true value in one’s activities, they should align with nurturing the soul, bettering society or satisfying curiosity – not simply accumulating wealth.
The quote conveys Thoreau’s view that a life centered around amassing money as the primary goal, rather than more profound objectives, represents an idleness of spirit regardless of outward industry or occupation.