Identity Quote by Blaise Pascal
““In a word, the Self has two qualities: it is unjust in itself since it makes itself the centre of everything; it is inconvenient to others since it would enslave them; for each self is the enemy, and would like to be the tyrant of all others. You take away its inconvenience, but not its injustice, and so you do not render it lovable to those who hate injustice; you render it lovable only to the unjust, who do not any longer find in it an enemy. And thus you remain unjust, and can please only the unjust””
About This Quote
Source Philosophical Treatise: Pensées, 1670
The self-centered nature is inherently unjust and inconvenient, pleasing only the unjust and alienating the just.
In simple terms: Selfishness is unfair and burdens others, aligning with the unjust.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate selflessness.
Themes
ethics
self
justice
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- political leadership
- social movements
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
egoism
altruism
Questions to Reflect On
- Can one love without selfish motives?
- How do we balance self-interest and communal good?
A Different Perspective
Self-transcendence is challenging and may conflict with personal desire.
![“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s self. Everything in the worldly life is nothing but intoxication. The food is intoxicating, the senses are intoxicating. [Therefore] Go to the one, who…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b3/dada-bhagwan-31_absolute_in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-into_3662.jpg)
