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You think pleasure is only of the senses; the wretched…

“You think pleasure is only of the senses; the wretched slaves who manufactured your morality despised a satisfaction which they had small means of enjoying.” quote by W. Somerset Maugham
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““You think pleasure is only of the senses; the wretched slaves who manufactured your morality despised a satisfaction which they had small means of enjoying.””

W. Somerset Maugham

About This Quote

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

Moral systems often suppress natural pleasure, especially when those who enforce them lack the means to enjoy it themselves.

In simple terms: Morality can hide pleasure when enforcers lack it.

Key Takeaway

Question your own moral assumptions.

Themes

morality pleasure power dynamics

Mood

critical reflective

Type

philosophical critical

When to use this quote

  • personal ethics
  • cultural critique
  • self‑reflection

Key Concepts

philosophy psychology social critique

Questions to Reflect On

  • What moral rules feel imposed rather than chosen?
  • How does power affect what is deemed acceptable pleasure?
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