It is not in space that I must seek my human dignity, but in the ordering of my thought. It will do me no good to own land. Through space the universe grasps me and swallows me up like a speck; through thought I grasp it. (348)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Human dignity is found in ordered thought, not in owning land; the universe swallows us, but thought lets us grasp it.
- In plain terms
- Thought, not property, gives us dignity.
- What can you take from it?
- Cultivate disciplined thinking to find meaning.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does thought shape identity?
- Can thought replace material security?
Another view
Material conditions still impact practical dignity.
More from Blaise Pascal
Il n'est pas certain que tout soit incertain. (387)
Permalink to quote #29 Il n'est pas honteux pour l'homme de succomber sous la douleur et il est honteux de succomber sous le plaisir. (160)
Permalink to quote #31 It is a funny sort of justice whose limits are marked by a river; true on this side of the Pyrenees, false on the other. (294)
Permalink to quote #28
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