I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinions of himself than on the opinions of others.
Marcus AureliusRead
For outward show is a wonderful perverter of the reason.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The desire for external appearances can distort our judgment and reasoning.
In this quote, Marcus Aurelius highlights how the pursuit of superficial appearances can cloud our judgment and lead us away from rational thinking. This serves as a reminder that valuing outward show over inner truth can result in misguided beliefs and actions, encouraging us to seek deeper understanding rather than being swayed by what is merely visible.
Themes
AppearanceReasonJudgmentTruthWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
During a philosophy discussion about the importance of inner values.
More from Marcus Aurelius
All quotes βYou have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.
Marcus AureliusRead
Do not act as if you were going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over you. While you live, while it is in your power, be good.
Marcus AureliusRead
Vex not thy spirit at the course of things; they heed not thy vexation. How ludicrous and outlandish is astonishment at anything that may happen in life.
Marcus AureliusRead
You don't have to turn this into something. It doesn't have to upset you. Things can't shape our decisions by themselves.
Marcus AureliusRead
A man's worth is no greater than his ambitions.
Marcus AureliusRead
Similar quotes
Taste classifies, and it classifies the classifier
Pierre BourdieuRead
Never does a man know the force that is in him till some mighty affliction or grief has humanized the soul.
Frederick William RobertsonRead
Every human being is intended to have a character of his own; to be what no others are, and to do what no other can do.
William Ellery ChanningRead
There's a difference between making incremental improvements and making sweeping changes that take you away from your core values.
Tony DungyRead
All living souls welcome whatsoever they are ready to cope with; all else they ignore, or pronounce to be monstrous and wrong, or deny to be possible.
George SantayanaRead
For the Deist ... prayer is calling across a void to a distant deity. This lofty figure may or may not be listening. He, or it, may or may not be inclined, or even able, to do very much about us and our world, even if he (or it) wanted to ... all you can do is send off a message, like a marooned sailor scribbling a note and putting it in a bottle, on the off-chance that someone out there might pick it up. That kind of prayer takes a good deal of faith and hope. But it isn't Christian prayer.
N. T. WrightRead