In every one of us there are two ruling and directing principles, whose guidance we follow wherever they may lead; the one being an innate desire of pleasure; the other, an acquired judgment which aspires after excellence.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The author identifies two internal principles guiding human behavior: desire for pleasure and judgment for excellence. He suggests we follow whichever leads.
- In plain terms
- He says humans are guided by pleasure or by a desire for excellence.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize the competing drives within yourself.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Which principle guides you most?
- How do you balance them?
Another view
Pleasure and excellence often overlap rather than conflict.
More from Socrates
False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.
Permalink to quote #2 Oh dear Pan and all the other Gods of this place, grant that I may be beautiful inside. Let all my external possessions be in friendly harmony with what is wit…
Permalink to quote #4 By means of beauty all beautiful things become beautiful. For this appears to me the safest answer to give both to myself and others; and adhering to this, I t…
Permalink to quote #1
Related quotes
Sometimes it is harder to deprive oneself of a pain than of a pleasure.
F. Scott FitzgeraldF. Scott Fitzgerald quote #5 A man will renounce any pleasures you like but he will not give up his suffering.
G. I. GurdjieffG. I. Gurdjieff quote #31 Few human creatures would consent to be changed into any of the lower animals for a promise of the fullest allowance of a beast's pleasures; no intelligent hum…
John Stuart MillJohn Stuart Mill quote #54