Pride is founded not on the sense of happiness, but on the sense of power.
William HazlittRead
Life is the art of being well deceived; and in order that the deception may succeed it must be habitual and uninterrupted.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life often involves illusions or deceptions that we accept to find happiness, and this acceptance should be continuous.
William Hazlitt's quote suggests that life is shaped by the illusions we choose to embrace. These deceptions can provide comfort and meaning, and for them to truly be effective, they need to be an ongoing part of our experience. By regularly accepting such deceptions, we can navigate life's complexities more smoothly, revealing deeper truths about our perceptions and desires.
Themes
LifeDeceptionArtIllusionsPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the power of perspective, one might refer to this quote to illustrate the nature of human experience.
More from William Hazlitt
All quotes βThe world loves to be amused by hollow professions, to be deceived by flattering appearances, to live in a state of hallucination; and can forgive everything but the plain, downright, simple, honest truth.
William HazlittRead
Our repugnance to death increases in proportion to our consciousness of having lived in vain.
William HazlittRead
We can bear to be deprived of everything but our self-conceit.
William HazlittRead
There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our firends. It is little better than a piece of quackery. The truth is, we think of them as we please, that is, as they please or displease us.
William HazlittRead
Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater. Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it.
William HazlittRead
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