Attention to detail Quote by John R. Perry
““When I was a young philosopher, I asked a senior colleague, Pat Suppes (then and now a famous philosopher of science and an astute student of human nature), what the secret of happiness was. Instead of giving me advice, he made a rather droll observation about what a lot of people who were happy with themselves seem to have done, namely: 1. Take a careful inventory of their shortcomings and flaws 2. Adopt a code of values that treats these things as virtues 3. Admire themselves for living up to it Brutal people admire themselves for being manly; compulsive pedants admire themselves for their attention to detail; naturally selfish and mean people admire themselves for their dedication to helping the market reward talent and punish failure, and so on.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Personal conversation, date unknown
Happiness stems from self‑knowledge, aligning values with perceived flaws, and celebrating that alignment as virtue.
In simple terms: Know yourself, set values, praise yourself for living them.
Key Takeaway
Reflect on your flaws, turn them into strengths.
Themes
self‑awareness
values
self‑esteem
Mood
thoughtful
introspective
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- career development
- relationship building
Key Concepts
philosophy of happiness
psychology of self‑concept
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you identify genuine virtues versus rationalizations?
- Can you praise yourself without becoming arrogant?
A Different Perspective
Happiness can be fleeting if values are superficial or self‑deception occurs.
