The common idea that success spoils people by making them vain, egotistic and self-complacent is erroneous; on the contrary it makes them, for the most part, humble, tolerant and kind.
W. Somerset MaughamRead
Man has always sacrificed truth to his vanity, comfort and advantage. He lives not by truth but by make-believe.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Humans often prioritize their desires and comfort over the truth, creating a false reality for themselves.
This quote by W. Somerset Maugham suggests that humanity tends to prioritize personal vanity and comfort over the harsh realities of truth. Rather than confronting the truth, people often create a facade or a make-believe world where they can feel more secure and self-satisfied, ultimately leading to a disconnection from reality. This observation invites us to reflect on our own tendencies to avoid uncomfortable truths in favor of comforting lies.
Themes
TruthVanityComfortMake-BelieveRealitySelf-Deception
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate on morals, one might use this quote to highlight how people often ignore the truth.
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I don't think of the past. The only thing that matters is the everlasting present.
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The world is quickly bored by the recital of misfortune, and willing avoids the sight of distress.
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There in the mist, enormous, majestic, silent and terrible, stood the Great Wall of China. Solitarily, with the indifference of nature herself, it crept up the mountain side and slipped down to the depth of the valley.
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