There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.
Bernard WilliamsRead
An extravagance is something that your spirit thinks is a necessity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the distinction between true needs and perceived luxuries, suggesting that what we desire may feel essential to our wellbeing.
Bernard Williams' quote presents a thought-provoking perspective on how human desires can sometimes masquerade as necessities. It suggests that extravagances, which are often seen as superfluous luxuries, may be considered essential by our spirit or inner self. This illustrates the complex relationship between our wants and needs, and how our perception can reshape what we deem necessary for happiness and fulfillment.
Themes
ExtravaganceNecessitySpiritDesiresLuxury
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about personal finance, one might say this quote to emphasize the importance of distinguishing wants from needs.
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People have been predicting the death of philosophy since the 17th century. When I was a student, people were saying, 'We're in the last days of philosophy.' Then we were told in the '60s it would be replaced by sociology, then by literary criticism.
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Virtually the only subject in which one could ever get a scholarship to Oxford or Cambridge was classics. So I went to Oxford to study classics and, unlike Cambridge, it had a philosophy component, and I became completely transported by it.
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If we try and fail, we have temporary disappointments. But if we do not try at all, we have permanent regrets.
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