---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Self-interest is an inexhaustible source…"
description: "\"Self-interest is an inexhaustible source of convenient illusions. The number of beings who wish to see truly is extraordinarily small.\" — Henri Frederi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_convenient_self-interest-is-an-inexhaustible-source_1112433.png"
---

#  Self-interest is an inexhaustible source of convenient…

![“Self-interest is an inexhaustible source of convenient illusions. The number of beings who wish to see truly is extraordinarily small.” quote by Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_convenient_self-interest-is-an-inexhaustible-source_1112433.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_convenient_self-interest-is-an-inexhaustible-source_1112433.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_convenient_self-interest-is-an-inexhaustible-source_1112433.png)

> “Self-interest is an inexhaustible source of convenient illusions. The number of beings who wish to see truly is extraordinarily small.”

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

## About This Quote

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

Self-interest fuels deceptive beliefs; few truly seek truth.

**In simple terms:** Self-interest creates false ideas; few seek truth.

Key Takeaway

Question motives behind beliefs.

Themes

selfishness truth illusion

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- political discourse
- personal relationships
- media consumption
- ethical decision making

Key Concepts

cognitive bias ethical philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we cling to convenient lies?
- How can we encourage truth-seeking?

A Different Perspective

Truth seekers may be overwhelmed by selfish narratives.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Illusions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusions/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-interest/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/)

## Related quotes

> [All beings wish for happiness, so extend your compassion to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/all-beings-wish-for-happiness-so-extend-your-compassion-to-all/)

[Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/)

> [Self-interest is but the survival of the animal in us. Humanity only begins for man with self-surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/self-interest-is-but-the-survival-of-the-animal-in-us-humanity-only/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [With Zipcar, consumers avoid the upfront cost of buying a car, not to mention gas, insurance, and repairs. Plus, they reduce the number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-jurich/with-zipcar-consumers-avoid-the-upfront-cost-of-buying-a-car-not-to/)

[Lynn Jurich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-jurich/)

> [People do what seems easy and convenient, not what is best for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spence/people-do-what-seems-easy-and-convenient-not-what-is-best-for-them/)

[John Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-spence/)

> [But while capitalism may be a convenient scapegoat, it did not cause any of these problems. Indeed, whatever one wishes to call the unruly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaron-brook/but-while-capitalism-may-be-a-convenient-scapegoat-it-did-not-cause/)

[Yaron Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaron-brook/)

> [Cell phones are so convenient that they're an inconvenience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/cell-phones-are-so-convenient-that-they-re-an-inconvenience/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [. . . by natural selection our mind has adapted itself to the conditions of the external world. It has adopted the geometry most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/by-natural-selection-our-mind-has-adapted-itself-to-the-conditions-of/)

[Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/)

> [Prayer is not a convenient device for imposing our will upon God, or bending his will to ours, but the prescribed way of subordinating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/prayer-is-not-a-convenient-device-for-imposing-our-will-upon-god-or/)

[John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

> [It is convenient that there be gods, and, as it is convenient, let us believe there are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-convenient-that-there-be-gods-and-as-it-is-convenient-let-us/)

[Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/)

> [If you are my friend,you are down for me at all times,not just when it's convenient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-v/if-you-are-my-friend-you-are-down-for-me-at-all-times-not-just-when/)

[Jasmine V](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-v/)

> [I think if you look all across the country, the so-called Blue Dogs are all gone to kennel. There are no more Blue Dogs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-if-you-look-all-across-the-country-the-so-called-blue-dogs/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty, may have found an established Clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just Government instituted to secure &amp; perpetuate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/rulers-who-wished-to-subvert-the-public-liberty-may-have-found-an/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Any creative process is about being in a territory which isn't secure, isn't necessarily familiar, and isn't convenient in any sort of way. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-bier/any-creative-process-is-about-being-in-a-territory-which-isn-t-secure/)

[Susanne Bier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-bier/)

> [Never threaten, because a threat is a promise to pay that it isn't always convenient to meet, but if you don't make it good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horace-lorimer/never-threaten-because-a-threat-is-a-promise-to-pay-that-it-isn-t/)

[George Horace Lorimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horace-lorimer/)

> [For rich children, it'd be very easy and convenient never to take any steps to build an identity outside of your association with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-johnson/for-rich-children-it-d-be-very-easy-and-convenient-never-to-take-any/)

[Jamie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-johnson/)

## More by Henri Frederic Amiel

> [There is only one way of not hating those who do us wrong, and that is by doing them good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/there-is-only-one-way-of-not-hating-those-who-do-us-wrong-and-that-is/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [Latent genius is but a presumption. Everything that can be, is bound to come into being, and what never comes into being is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/latent-genius-is-but-a-presumption-everything-that-can-be-is-bound-to/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [Order is power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/order-is-power/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [Knowledge, love, power-there is the complete life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/knowledge-love-power-there-is-the-complete-life/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/life-is-short-and-we-have-never-too-much-time-for-gladdening-the/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [Each bud flowers but once and each flower has but its minute of perfect beauty; so, in the garden of the soul each feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/each-bud-flowers-but-once-and-each-flower-has-but-its-minute-of/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [We are never more discontented with others than when we are discontented with ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/we-are-never-more-discontented-with-others-than-when-we-are/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [Only evil grows of itself, while for goodness we want effort and courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/only-evil-grows-of-itself-while-for-goodness-we-want-effort-and/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [A man must be able to cut a knot, for everything cannot be untied; he must know how to disengage what is essential from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/a-man-must-be-able-to-cut-a-knot-for-everything-cannot-be-untied-he/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [Our greatest illusion is to believe that we are what we think ourselves to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/our-greatest-illusion-is-to-believe-that-we-are-what-we-think/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [Charm is the quality in others that makes us more satisfied with ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/charm-is-the-quality-in-others-that-makes-us-more-satisfied-with/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [The philosopher aspires to explain away all mysteries, to dissolve them into light. Mystery on the other hand is demanded and pursued by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/the-philosopher-aspires-to-explain-away-all-mysteries-to-dissolve/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [The growth and development of the soul is more important than power and glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/the-growth-and-development-of-the-soul-is-more-important-than-power/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [He who asks of life nothing but the improvement of his own nature... is less liable than anyone else to miss and waste life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/he-who-asks-of-life-nothing-but-the-improvement-of-his-own-nature-is/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

> [Christianity, if it is to triumph over pantheism, must absorb it. To our pusillanimous eyes Jesus would have borne the marks of a hateful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/christianity-if-it-is-to-triumph-over-pantheism-must-absorb-it-to-our/)

[Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

[Explore all 262 Henri Frederic Amiel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/)

## More Convenient quotes

> [For rich children, it'd be very easy and convenient never to take any steps to build an identity outside of your association with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-johnson/for-rich-children-it-d-be-very-easy-and-convenient-never-to-take-any/)

[Jamie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-johnson/)

> [Never threaten, because a threat is a promise to pay that it isn't always convenient to meet, but if you don't make it good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horace-lorimer/never-threaten-because-a-threat-is-a-promise-to-pay-that-it-isn-t/)

[George Horace Lorimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horace-lorimer/)

> [Any creative process is about being in a territory which isn't secure, isn't necessarily familiar, and isn't convenient in any sort of way. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-bier/any-creative-process-is-about-being-in-a-territory-which-isn-t-secure/)

[Susanne Bier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-bier/)

> [Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty, may have found an established Clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just Government instituted to secure &amp; perpetuate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/rulers-who-wished-to-subvert-the-public-liberty-may-have-found-an/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [I think if you look all across the country, the so-called Blue Dogs are all gone to kennel. There are no more Blue Dogs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-if-you-look-all-across-the-country-the-so-called-blue-dogs/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you are my friend,you are down for me at all times,not just when it's convenient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-v/if-you-are-my-friend-you-are-down-for-me-at-all-times-not-just-when/)

[Jasmine V](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-v/)

> [It is convenient that there be gods, and, as it is convenient, let us believe there are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-convenient-that-there-be-gods-and-as-it-is-convenient-let-us/)

[Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/)

> [Prayer is not a convenient device for imposing our will upon God, or bending his will to ours, but the prescribed way of subordinating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/prayer-is-not-a-convenient-device-for-imposing-our-will-upon-god-or/)

[John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

> [. . . by natural selection our mind has adapted itself to the conditions of the external world. It has adopted the geometry most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/by-natural-selection-our-mind-has-adapted-itself-to-the-conditions-of/)

[Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/)

> [Cell phones are so convenient that they're an inconvenience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/cell-phones-are-so-convenient-that-they-re-an-inconvenience/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [But while capitalism may be a convenient scapegoat, it did not cause any of these problems. Indeed, whatever one wishes to call the unruly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaron-brook/but-while-capitalism-may-be-a-convenient-scapegoat-it-did-not-cause/)

[Yaron Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaron-brook/)

> [People do what seems easy and convenient, not what is best for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spence/people-do-what-seems-easy-and-convenient-not-what-is-best-for-them/)

[John Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-spence/)

> [With Zipcar, consumers avoid the upfront cost of buying a car, not to mention gas, insurance, and repairs. Plus, they reduce the number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-jurich/with-zipcar-consumers-avoid-the-upfront-cost-of-buying-a-car-not-to/)

[Lynn Jurich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-jurich/)

> [It is highly convenient to believe in the infinite mercy of God when you feel the need of mercy, but remember also his infinite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/it-is-highly-convenient-to-believe-in-the-infinite-mercy-of-god-when/)

[Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/)

> [ I think everybody is covering their \[posteriors\] with the Enron scandal and it was very convenient that Sept. 11 came along to deflect the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bernhard/i-think-everybody-is-covering-their-posteriors-with-the-enron-scandal/)

[Sandra Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bernhard/)

Browse all 388 Convenient quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Self-interest is an inexhaustible source of convenient illusions. The number of beings who wish to see truly is extraordinarily small.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henri Frederic Amiel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/self-interest-is-an-inexhaustible-source-of-convenient-illusions-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Convenient"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/self-interest-is-an-inexhaustible-source-of-convenient-illusions-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_convenient_self-interest-is-an-inexhaustible-source_1112433.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_convenient_self-interest-is-an-inexhaustible-source_1112433.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_convenient_self-interest-is-an-inexhaustible-source_1112433.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Self-interest is an inexhaustible source of convenient illusions. The number of beings who wish to see truly…” — Henri Frederic Amiel",
                "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": "Henri Frederic Amiel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Self-interest is an inexhaustible source of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/self-interest-is-an-inexhaustible-source-of-convenient-illusions-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/self-interest-is-an-inexhaustible-source-of-convenient-illusions-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
