The deepest wealth is to be surrounded by Meaning Factcheck Usage
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You know, “The deepest wealth is to be surrounded by people who care” really hits home. It’s a powerful reminder that our real net worth isn’t in our bank accounts, but in the strength of our community. It flips the entire script on what we’re taught to value.

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Table of Contents

Meaning

The core message is simple but profound: true, lasting prosperity isn’t financial. It’s relational. It’s the richness that comes from being embedded in a network of genuine, mutual care.

Explanation

Let me break this down. We spend our lives chasing promotions, bigger houses, nicer cars—the external markers of success. But that’s a shallow kind of wealth. It’s fragile. What McKnight and Block are saying is that the real asset, the one that appreciates over time and provides true security and joy, is the community around you. The neighbors who have your spare key. The friends who show up with soup when you’re sick. That’s the capital that actually sustains you. It’s an abundance that the market can’t quantify and that no one can take from you.

Quote Summary

ContextAttributes
Original LanguageEnglish (3668)
CategoryWealth (107)
Topicscare (19), relationship general (37), value (44)
Literary Styleminimalist (442), poetic (635)
Emotion / Moodreassuring (55), warm (182)
Overall Quote Score82 (297)
Reading Level67
Aesthetic Score87

Origin & Factcheck

This comes straight from their 2010 book, The Abundant Community, published in the United States. You sometimes see this sentiment floating around anonymously, but it’s definitively their work, born from decades of community-building research.

Attribution Summary

ContextAttributes
AuthorJohn McKnight (51)
Source TypeBook (4032)
Source/Book NameThe Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods (51)
Origin Timeperiod21st Century (1892)
Original LanguageEnglish (3668)
AuthenticityVerified (4032)

Author Bio

John McKnight, Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University had spent decades of his life helping people rediscover the power of relationships. Being, co-founder of the ABCD Institute, his core idea revolves around communities that grows by identifying and connecting their assets. You’ll find the John McKnight book list here which are anchored by Building Communities from the Inside Out, The Careless Society, The Abundant Community, and The Connected Community.
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Where is this quotation located?

QuotationThe deepest wealth is to be surrounded by people who care
Book DetailsPublication Year/Date: 2010; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9781605095844; Last edition: 2012; Number of pages: 192.
Where is it?Chapter: Wealth of Care, Approximate page from 2012 edition: 225

Authority Score90

Context

In the book, they’re making a direct argument against what they call the “consumer society”—a system that sells us solutions to problems that our communities used to solve for free. They’re not just being poetic; they’re laying out a practical case for reinvesting in the social fabric of our neighborhoods as the primary source of a good life.

Usage Examples

I use this all the time in my work. Think about it for:

  • Team Leaders: To shift focus from pure performance metrics to building a culture where people genuinely have each other’s backs. That’s when you get real innovation and resilience.
  • City Planners & Non-Profits: As a north star for initiatives. Instead of just building a park, how does the design encourage people to connect and care for one another?
  • Anyone Feeling Isolated: It’s a call to action. Your most important investment this year might not be a stock, but the time you spend getting to know your neighbors or reconnecting with old friends.

To whom it appeals?

ContextAttributes
ThemeWisdom (1754)
Audiencescitizens (22), families (60), leaders (2619), students (3111), teachers (1125)
Usage Context/Scenariocommunity events (16), family discussions (5), motivational writings (17), spiritual talks (76)

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Motivation Score86
Popularity Score80
Shareability Score84

FAQ

Question: Isn’t this just a nice idea, but not practical in the real world?
Answer: It’s the most practical thing there is. When a crisis hits—a job loss, a health scare, a natural disaster—it’s not your stock portfolio that helps you through the first 72 hours. It’s the people next door.

Question: How is this “wealth” different from just having friends?
Answer: It’s about the ecosystem, not just individual relationships. It’s the collective capacity of a whole network to support its members. A few close friends are great; a whole community that functions that way is transformative.

Question: What if I don’t have a community like this?
Answer: The great news is, this is a form of wealth you can build yourself, starting today. It begins with small, consistent acts of being a good neighbor and citizen. You have to invest in it.

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