Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.
Blaise PascalRead
Do you wish people to think well of you? Don't speak well of yourself.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that humility and self-reflection are more valuable than self-promotion.
Blaise Pascal implies that if you desire to earn the respect and admiration of others, it is better to refrain from boasting about yourself. Instead, demonstrating humility through actions and the way you treat others will lead to a more genuine regard from them, thus promoting a deeper and more lasting perception of your character.
Themes
HumilitySelf-ReflectionReputationCharacterSelf-Promotion
In practice
Example use cases
During a leadership workshop where self-promotion is common.
More from Blaise Pascal
All quotes βIf we submit everything to reason our religion will be left with nothing mysterious or supernatural. If we offend the principles of reason our religion will be absurd and ridiculous . . . There are two equally dangerous extremes: to exclude reason, to admit nothing but reason.
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Those are weaklings who know the truth and uphold it as long as it suits their purpose, and then abandon it.
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Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.
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If he exalts himself, I humble him. If he humbles himself, I exalt him. And I go on contradicting him Until he understands That he is a monster that passes all understanding.
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What use is it to us to hear it said of a man that he has thrown off the yoke that he does not believe there is a God to watch over his actions, that he reckons himself the sole master of his behavior, and that he does not intend to give an account of it to anyone but himself?
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