Skip to content

It is a sin to persue pleasure as a good and to avoid pain…

“It is a sin to persue pleasure as a good and to avoid pain as a evil.” quote by Marcus Aurelius
Download Open image
“It is a sin to persue pleasure as a good and to avoid pain as a evil.”

Marcus Aurelius

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Pursuing pleasure as inherently good and avoiding pain as inherently bad is a moral error; balance and virtue lie beyond simple hedonism.

In simple terms: Pleasure isn’t always good, pain isn’t always bad.

Key Takeaway

Seek balance, not extremes.

Themes

ethics hedonism virtue balance

Mood

reflective serious

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

  • daily decision making
  • consumer choices
  • health habits
  • risk assessment

Key Concepts

Stoicism moral philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you differentiate healthy pleasure from harmful excess?
  • When might pain be a necessary teacher?
A Different Perspective

Oversimplifies complex human motivations and cultural contexts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Marcus Aurelius

Explore all 1,138 Marcus Aurelius quotes

More Evil quotes

Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes