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The life which men praise and regard as successful is but one kind. Why should we exaggerate any one kind at the expense of the others?
Henry David Thoreau
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Success is subjective and should not be defined by a single standard.

Henry David Thoreau's quote suggests that the common perception of a successful life is only one perspective among many. He challenges the notion of exaggerating this singular view of success while downplaying the various other valuable ways of living, emphasizing that different lives hold different merits that deserve recognition.

Themes

SuccessPerspectiveLifeValueMerit

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech discussing diverse life paths.

More from Henry David Thoreau

None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
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Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
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Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
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As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
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