Being real Quote by Aristotle
“The majority of mankind would seem to be beguiled into error by pleasure, which, not being really a good, yet seems to be so. So that they indiscriminately choose as good whatsoever gives them pleasure, while they avoid all pain alike as evil.”
About This Quote
Source Treat: Nicomachean Ethics, 4th century BC
People often mistake pleasure for the ultimate good, ignoring that true good is rational and virtuous, while pain is avoided as evil.
In simple terms: Pleasure is mistaken for good; true good is rational virtue.
Key Takeaway
Seek rational virtue over fleeting pleasure.
Themes
ethics
pleasure
virtue
Mood
contemplative
analytical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- daily decisions
- consumer choices
- relationship dynamics
- policy making
Key Concepts
eudaimonia
hedonism
moral psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What pleasures serve a higher purpose?
- Can pain ever be beneficial?
A Different Perspective
Pleasure can sometimes align with virtue, complicating the dichotomy.
![“Never forget that when we are dealing with any pleasure in its healthy and normal and satisfying form, we are, in a sense, on the Enemy’s (God’s) ground…He [God] made the pleasure: all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. All we can do is to encourage the humans to take the…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/183/anonymous-1_degrees_never-forget-that-when-we-are-dealing-wi_2516823.jpg)
