--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The sensitivity of men to small matters…" description: "\"The sensitivity of men to small matters, and their indifference to great ones, indicates a strange inversion.\" — Blaise Pascal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/blaise-pascal-167_great-ones_the-sensitivity-of-men-to-small-matters_2821273.jpg" --- # The sensitivity of men to small matters, and their… ![“The sensitivity of men to small matters, and their indifference to great ones, indicates a strange inversion.” quote by Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/blaise-pascal-167_great-ones_the-sensitivity-of-men-to-small-matters_2821273.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/blaise-pascal-167_great-ones_the-sensitivity-of-men-to-small-matters_2821273.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/blaise-pascal-167_great-ones_the-sensitivity-of-men-to-small-matters_2821273.jpg) > “The sensitivity of men to small matters, and their indifference to great ones, indicates a strange inversion.” [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People focus on trivial issues while ignoring major problems, showing misplaced priorities. **In simple terms:** We often care about small things, not big ones. Key Takeaway Shift focus to larger, impactful matters. Themes priorities human nature philosophy society attention Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - public policy - education - media coverage Key Concepts cognitive bias value inversion ethical blindness Questions to Reflect On - What big issues do we neglect daily? - How can we re‑train attention to larger problems? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated habits is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Sensitivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitivity/) ## Related quotes > [The origins and travels of our purchases remain matters of indifference, although to the more imaginative at least a slight dampness at the bottom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-origins-and-travels-of-our-purchases-remain-matters-of/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [We witness a strange inversion: on the one hand, the endeavor to turn the social contract into a less calculating and more feeling connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/we-witness-a-strange-inversion-on-the-one-hand-the-endeavor-to-turn/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) > [An acknowledged love sanctifies every little freedom; and little freedoms beget great ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/an-acknowledged-love-sanctifies-every-little-freedom-and-little/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [As the few adepts in such things well know, universal morality is to be found in little everyday penny-events just as much as in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/as-the-few-adepts-in-such-things-well-know-universal-morality-is-to/) [Georg C. 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His parables are great one-liners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/jesus-was-a-brilliant-jewish-stand-up-comedian-a-phenomenal/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [The chief secret of comfort lies in not suffering trifles to vex us, and in prudently cultivating our undergrowth of small pleasures, since very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sharp/the-chief-secret-of-comfort-lies-in-not-suffering-trifles-to-vex-us/) Richard Sharp > [Certainly we're always rooting for our particular contingent moment to be a great one. Pain-free. 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That's a scary movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/alien-s-a-great-one-that-s-a-scary-movie/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) ## More by Blaise Pascal > [“Do they think that they have given us great pleasure by telling us that they hold our soul to be no more than wind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/do-they-think-that-they-have-given-us-great-pleasure-by-telling-us/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [There should be in eloquence that which is pleasing and that which is real; but that which is pleasing should itself be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-should-be-in-eloquence-that-which-is-pleasing-and-that-which-is/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The method of not erring is sought by all the world. The logicians profess to guide it, the geometricians alone attain it, and apart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-method-of-not-erring-is-sought-by-all-the-world-the-logicians/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [When we read too fast or too slowly, we understand nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/when-we-read-too-fast-or-too-slowly-we-understand-nothing/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Mahomet established a religion by putting his enemies to death; Jesus Christ by commanding his followers to lay down their lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/mahomet-established-a-religion-by-putting-his-enemies-to-death-jesus/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Reflect on death as in Jesus Christ, not as without Jesus Christ. 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Others say, "Go out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-stoics-say-retire-within-yourselves-it-is-there-you-will-find/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Happiness can be found neither in ourselves nor in external things, but in God and in ourselves as united to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/happiness-can-be-found-neither-in-ourselves-nor-in-external-things/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Amusement that is excessive and followed only for its own sake, allures and deceives us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-that-is-excessive-and-followed-only-for-its-own-sake/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Rivers are highways that move on and bear us whither we wish to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/rivers-are-highways-that-move-on-and-bear-us-whither-we-wish-to-go/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [We desire truth, and find within ourselves only uncertainty. We seek happiness, and find only misery and death. We cannot but desire truth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/we-desire-truth-and-find-within-ourselves-only-uncertainty-we-seek/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Vanity is illustrated in the cause and effect of love, as in the case of Cleopatra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/vanity-is-illustrated-in-the-cause-and-effect-of-love-as-in-the-case/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“There is no denying it; one must admit that there is something astonishing about Christianity. 'It is because you were born in it,' they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-is-no-denying-it-one-must-admit-that-there-is-something/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Imagination is the deceptive part in man, the mistress of error and falsehood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/imagination-is-the-deceptive-part-in-man-the-mistress-of-error-and/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The majority is the best way, because it is visible, and has strength to make itself obeyed. Yet it is the opinion of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-majority-is-the-best-way-because-it-is-visible-and-has-strength/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) [Explore all 988 Blaise Pascal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) ## More Great ones quotes > [Alien's a great one. 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How can I say two things that seem so contradictory?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/ruth-and-i-don-t-have-a-perfect-marriage-but-we-have-a-great-one-how/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [This party spirit has so ill an effect on our morals, it has likewise a very great one upon our judgments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/this-party-spirit-has-so-ill-an-effect-on-our-morals-it-has-likewise/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“Great is a great one whose great ones are great”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stein/great-is-a-great-one-whose-great-ones-are-great/) [John Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stein/) > [Certainly we're always rooting for our particular contingent moment to be a great one. Pain-free. But the more expansive vision has to include the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/certainly-we-re-always-rooting-for-our-particular-contingent-moment/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [The chief secret of comfort lies in not suffering trifles to vex us, and in prudently cultivating our undergrowth of small pleasures, since very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sharp/the-chief-secret-of-comfort-lies-in-not-suffering-trifles-to-vex-us/) Richard Sharp > [Jesus was a brilliant Jewish stand-up comedian, a phenomenal improviser. His parables are great one-liners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/jesus-was-a-brilliant-jewish-stand-up-comedian-a-phenomenal/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Directing requires great discipline, that ability to be in and out at the same time. The great ones I've worked with are like generals.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/directing-requires-great-discipline-that-ability-to-be-in-and-out-at/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [The truth is that Ron is my hero. He's always there for his friends - sometimes belligerently, but there nevertheless. He's also the comic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-grint/the-truth-is-that-ron-is-my-hero-he-s-always-there-for-his-friends/) [Rupert Grint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-grint/) > [As the few adepts in such things well know, universal morality is to be found in little everyday penny-events just as much as in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/as-the-few-adepts-in-such-things-well-know-universal-morality-is-to/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [An acknowledged love sanctifies every little freedom; and little freedoms beget great ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/an-acknowledged-love-sanctifies-every-little-freedom-and-little/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [Fishes live in the sea, as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/fishes-live-in-the-sea-as-men-do-a-land-the-great-ones-eat-up-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There are very few real teachers. Teaching is not a job; it is a vocation. To be a great one many qualities must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/there-are-very-few-real-teachers-teaching-is-not-a-job-it-is-a/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) Browse all 182 Great ones quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The sensitivity of men to small matters, and their indifference to great ones, indicates a strange inversion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Blaise Pascal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-sensitivity-of-men-to-small-matters-and-their-indifference-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great ones" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-sensitivity-of-men-to-small-matters-and-their-indifference-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/blaise-pascal-167_great-ones_the-sensitivity-of-men-to-small-matters_2821273.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/blaise-pascal-167_great-ones_the-sensitivity-of-men-to-small-matters_2821273.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/blaise-pascal-167_great-ones_the-sensitivity-of-men-to-small-matters_2821273.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The sensitivity of men to small matters, and their indifference to great ones, indicates a strange inversion.” — Blaise Pascal", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Blaise Pascal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The sensitivity of men to small...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-sensitivity-of-men-to-small-matters-and-their-indifference-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-sensitivity-of-men-to-small-matters-and-their-indifference-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```