Blaise Pascal

"Anyone who does not see the vanity of the world is very vain himself. So who does not see it, apart from young people whose lives are all noise, diversions, and thoughts for the future? But take away their diversion and you will see them bored to extinction. Then they feel their nullity without recognizing it, for nothing could be more wretched than to be intolerably depressed as soon as one is reduced to introspection with no means of diversion."

8 likes

Source: Blaise Pascal (2008). “Human Happiness”, Penguin Group USA

About the author

Blaise Pascal

Blaise Pascal

Mathematician, Physicist, Philosopher

Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher known for his contributions to probability theory and his work 'Pensées' on faith and reason.

All quotes by Blaise Pascal →

Same author

More quotes by Blaise Pascal

See all →
Blaise Pascal Mathematician, Physicist, Philosopher

"Knowing God without knowing our own wretchedness makes for pride. Knowing our own wretchedness without knowing God makes for despair. Knowing Jesus Christ strikes the balance because he shows us both God and our own wretchedness."

Read quote
Blaise Pascal Mathematician, Physicist, Philosopher

"There are only three types of people; those who have found God and serve him; those who have not found God and seek him, and those who live not seeking, or finding him. The first are rational and happy; the second unhappy and rational, and the third foolish and unhappy."

Read quote
Blaise Pascal Mathematician, Physicist, Philosopher

"Either Christianity is true or it's false. If you bet that it's true, and you believe in God and submit to Him, then if it IS true, you've gained God, heaven, and everything else. If it's false, you've lost nothing, but you've had a good life marked by peace and the illusion that ultimately, everything makes sense. If you bet that Christianity is not true, and it's false, you've lost nothing. But if you bet that it's false, and it turns out to be true, you've lost everything and you get to spend eternity in hell."

Read quote