Samuel Johnson: Hide Poverty & Idleness

Posted by admin on Friday, June 10, 2016

Samuel Johnson Money Quote saying our self-image depends on hiding our laziness from ourselves and being poor – the poverty that results – from others. Samuel Johnson said:
 

 

“To be idle and to be poor have always been reproaches, and therefore every man endeavors with his utmost care to hide his poverty from others, and his idleness from himself” — Samuel Johnson

 

 

In this quote, Samuel Johnson is commenting on how poverty and idleness are socially stigmatized. He suggests that because being poor or idle are seen as character flaws to be ashamed of, people will go to great lengths to conceal their true economic circumstances from others (“hide his poverty”) and even deny or ignore their own laziness (“hide his idleness from himself”).

Johnson appears to be recognizing that there is social pressure and stigma attached to these conditions, which causes people to go to unnecessary efforts to project an image of affluence or productivity, even if it’s not truly reflective of their situation. The overall interpretation is that Johnson was acknowledging the social disapproval and “reproaches” associated with poverty and idleness that can lead people to engage in deception about their real economic or work status.

Categories: poverty Tagged:poorpovertysamuel johnson