Deceit Quote by Blaise Pascal
“Man is nothing but insincerity, falsehood, and hypocrisy, both in regard to himself and in regard to others. He does not wish that he should be told the truth, he shuns saying it to others; and all these moods, so inconsistent with justice and reason, have their roots in his heart.”
About This Quote
Source Philosophical Treatise: Pensées, 1670
Human nature is fundamentally insincere and hypocritical, driven by self-interest and emotional inconsistency, which undermines justice and reason.
In simple terms: People are naturally dishonest and inconsistent.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate honesty and rational consistency.
Themes
human nature
morality
hypocrisy
justice
reason
Mood
thoughtful
serious
philosophical
Type
reflection
ethical
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- legal systems
- education
- leadership
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
Ethics
psychology
philosophy
self-awareness
Questions to Reflect On
- How can individuals overcome inherent insincerity?
- What structures promote truthful discourse?
A Different Perspective
Changing innate tendencies is difficult without conscious effort.
![“Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari [living a worldly life] regardless of whether one is an ascetic or a family man. And where anger-pride-deceit-greed are absent, one is regarded as being asansaari…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7ec/dada-bhagwan-31_anger_where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-dece_5756.jpg)
