Thankless Quotes
On work and roles that rarely get their due.
The oldest quote here — a nod to Shakespeare's line about a serpent's tooth and an ungrateful child — sets the tone for everything that follows, framing 'thankless' as a very old complaint about unappreciated Effort. From there the page moves into modern territory, calling out screenwriting in L.A. as a famously thankless occupation.
L.A. is full of screenwriters. I don't know why. On many levels, it's such a thankless occupation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the 'serpent's tooth' quote about thankless children come from?
It echoes Shakespeare's King Lear, using the image of a serpent's tooth to describe how sharp it feels to have an ungrateful child. It's the oldest and most literary reference on this page.
Why is screenwriting described as thankless?
One quote notes that L.A. is full of screenwriters yet calls the work a thankless occupation on many levels, suggesting the effort involved rarely gets matched by recognition or credit. It reflects a common complaint about creative Effort going unnoticed in the industry.
Is politics described positively or negatively here?
Negatively — one quote calls politics an ugly and thankless role, framing public service as demanding work that rarely earns the goodwill of those it serves. It fits the page's broader theme of effort without reward.
Are parenting quotes included in this collection?
Yes, one calls child-rearing a tedious and thankless undertaking, extending the theme beyond careers and into family life. It shows that 'thankless' can describe both public roles and private, everyday responsibilities.
What ties all these thankless-themed quotes together?
Each one describes a role — child, screenwriter, politician, parent — where real effort goes into work that rarely earns visible appreciation. That shared structure is what makes 'thankless' such a versatile complaint across very different walks of life.
Two more quotes push the theme into public and private life, calling politics an ugly and thankless role and child-rearing a tedious, thankless undertaking. Together they suggest thanklessness isn't tied to any one job, but to any role where the Judgment of others rarely matches the work involved.
