---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never looked upon ease and…"
description: "\"“I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves - such an ethical basis I call more proper for a herd of swine. The ideals that have..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/louisa-thomsen-brits-4007_beauty_i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happin_2557172.jpg"
---

#  I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in…

![“I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves - such an ethical basis I call more proper for a herd of swine. The ideals that have lighted me on my way and time after time given me new courage to face live cheerfully, have been Truth, Goodness and Beauty. -Albert Einstein” quote by Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/louisa-thomsen-brits-4007_beauty_i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happin_2557172.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/louisa-thomsen-brits-4007_beauty_i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happin_2557172.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/louisa-thomsen-brits-4007_beauty_i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happin_2557172.jpg)

> ““I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves - such an ethical basis I call more proper for a herd of swine. The ideals that have lighted me on my way and time after time given me new courage to face live cheerfully, have been Truth, Goodness and Beauty. -Albert Einstein””

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

## About This Quote

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

True fulfillment lies in pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty, not comfort.

**In simple terms:** Seek higher ideals over ease.

Key Takeaway

Align actions with truth, goodness, beauty.

Themes

ethics philosophy humanism beauty

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- career choices
- artistic pursuits
- community service

Key Concepts

moral philosophy aesthetic values personal virtue

Questions to Reflect On

- What higher ideals guide you?
- How do you balance comfort with aspiration?

A Different Perspective

Comfort may be necessary for mental health.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Hygge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hygge/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

## Related quotes

> [I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves -- this critical basis I call the ideal of a pigsty. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happiness-as-ends-in-themselves-3/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-ideals-which-have-lighted-my-way-and-time-after-time-have-given-3/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully have been kindness, beauty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-ideals-which-have-lighted-my-way-and-time-after-time-have-given-2/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-ideals-which-have-lighted-my-way-and-time-after-time-have-given/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [“To hygge is to create a harmonious atmosphere, a feeling of warmth, a mood of contentment. Hygge is freely used to describe rooms, buildings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/to-hygge-is-to-create-a-harmonious-atmosphere-a-feeling-of-warmth-a/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“To hold on to hygge, we learn to listen and to speak up. We hone the art of conversation and attempt to master an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/to-hold-on-to-hygge-we-learn-to-listen-and-to-speak-up-we-hone-the/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. -Annie Dillard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/how-we-spend-our-days-is-of-course-how-we-spend-our-lives-annie/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“Material goods rarely alter our levels of happiness, unlike emotional experience. Having can never replace being. -Ilsa Crawford”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/material-goods-rarely-alter-our-levels-of-happiness-unlike-emotional/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“There is a simple fidelity to the moment that we experience through hygge. ...we adjust our surroundings to guide our energy and desire. Hygge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/there-is-a-simple-fidelity-to-the-moment-that-we-experience-through/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“It must be emphasized that hygge entails commitment to the present moment and a readiness to set distractions aside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/it-must-be-emphasized-that-hygge-entails-commitment-to-the-present/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“It makes sense that the everyday experience and practice of something like hygge would not be reserved only for Scandinavians, but shared with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/it-makes-sense-that-the-everyday-experience-and-practice-of-something/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“Inside each of us are memories, fantasies and desires for home - a shelter waiting to be built, a place of peace to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/inside-each-of-us-are-memories-fantasies-and-desires-for-home-a/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“Just living isn't enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." -Hans Christian Anderson”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/just-living-isn-t-enough-said-the-butterfly-one-must-have-sunshine/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“The structure of life I have described in buildings - the structure which I believe to be objective - is deeply and inextricably connected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/the-structure-of-life-i-have-described-in-buildings-the-structure/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“Hygge happens when we commit to the pleasure of the present moment in its simplicity. It's there in the things we do that give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/hygge-happens-when-we-commit-to-the-pleasure-of-the-present-moment-in/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

## More by Louisa Thomsen Brits

> [“Hygge happens when we commit to the pleasure of the present moment in its simplicity. It's there in the things we do that give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/hygge-happens-when-we-commit-to-the-pleasure-of-the-present-moment-in/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“The structure of life I have described in buildings - the structure which I believe to be objective - is deeply and inextricably connected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/the-structure-of-life-i-have-described-in-buildings-the-structure/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“real wealth is not what we can accumulate but what we have to share.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/real-wealth-is-not-what-we-can-accumulate-but-what-we-have-to-share/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“Just living isn't enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." -Hans Christian Anderson”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/just-living-isn-t-enough-said-the-butterfly-one-must-have-sunshine/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“Elite culture was deplored as shallow by the growing middle classes, who placed emphasis on family and intimacy. Denmark’s history, its egalitarianism, liberalism, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/elite-culture-was-deplored-as-shallow-by-the-growing-middle-classes/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“Inside each of us are memories, fantasies and desires for home - a shelter waiting to be built, a place of peace to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/inside-each-of-us-are-memories-fantasies-and-desires-for-home-a/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“It makes sense that the everyday experience and practice of something like hygge would not be reserved only for Scandinavians, but shared with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/it-makes-sense-that-the-everyday-experience-and-practice-of-something/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“It must be emphasized that hygge entails commitment to the present moment and a readiness to set distractions aside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/it-must-be-emphasized-that-hygge-entails-commitment-to-the-present/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“There is a simple fidelity to the moment that we experience through hygge. ...we adjust our surroundings to guide our energy and desire. Hygge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/there-is-a-simple-fidelity-to-the-moment-that-we-experience-through/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“Material goods rarely alter our levels of happiness, unlike emotional experience. Having can never replace being. -Ilsa Crawford”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/material-goods-rarely-alter-our-levels-of-happiness-unlike-emotional/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. -Annie Dillard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/how-we-spend-our-days-is-of-course-how-we-spend-our-lives-annie/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“To hold on to hygge, we learn to listen and to speak up. We hone the art of conversation and attempt to master an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/to-hold-on-to-hygge-we-learn-to-listen-and-to-speak-up-we-hone-the/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“To hygge is to create a harmonious atmosphere, a feeling of warmth, a mood of contentment. Hygge is freely used to describe rooms, buildings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/to-hygge-is-to-create-a-harmonious-atmosphere-a-feeling-of-warmth-a/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“Hygge stems from a society that is focused on people rather than things. It is linked to the language of love and to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/hygge-stems-from-a-society-that-is-focused-on-people-rather-than/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

> [“Using the context and stuff of our daily lives to create an atmosphere of comfort prepares the ground for moments of unexpected intimacy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/using-the-context-and-stuff-of-our-daily-lives-to-create-an/)

[Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

[Explore all 117 Louisa Thomsen Brits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/)

## More Beauty quotes

> [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/)

[Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/)

> [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/)

[Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/)

> [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/)

[John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/)

> [To fathom the power, to witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain, to swing on the spiral of our divinity, and still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tool/to-fathom-the-power-to-witness-the-beauty-to-bathe-in-the-fountain-to/)

[Tool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tool/)

> [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/)

[Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/)

> [“We've all met people who are beautiful on the outside, however, when they open their mouths to speak, they have nothing of substance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/we-ve-all-met-people-who-are-beautiful-on-the-outside-however-when/)

[Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/)

> [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/)

[George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/)

> [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/)

[Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/)

> [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/)

[Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/)

> [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/)

[Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/)

> [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/)

Tumblr

> [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/)

[William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/)

> [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/)

[Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/)

> [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/)

[Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/)

[Browse all 24,662 Beauty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves - such an ethical basis I call more proper for a herd of swine. The ideals that have lighted me on my way and time after time given me new courage to face live cheerfully, have been Truth, Goodness and Beauty. -Albert Einstein”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Louisa Thomsen Brits"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happiness-as-ends-in-themselves-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Beauty"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happiness-as-ends-in-themselves-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/louisa-thomsen-brits-4007_beauty_i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happin_2557172.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/louisa-thomsen-brits-4007_beauty_i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happin_2557172.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/louisa-thomsen-brits-4007_beauty_i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happin_2557172.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves - such an ethical basis I call more proper…” — Louisa Thomsen Brits",
                "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": "Louisa Thomsen Brits",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I have never looked upon ease...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happiness-as-ends-in-themselves-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/i-have-never-looked-upon-ease-and-happiness-as-ends-in-themselves-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
