“Whoever does not see the vanity of the world is very vain himself.”Blaise Pascal · Cugetări · 1670 · fragmentul 165 (Brunschvicg) / 143 (Lafuma)
Whoever denies the world's vanity quietly claims to stand above it.
Pascal argues that claiming the world is not superficial means seeing oneself as superior and elevating oneself. This self‑delusion hides a need for validation. An influencer who insists their success is essential ignores fame's fleeting nature, revealing personal vanity. Recognizing this dynamic curtails pride and enhances realism.
Pascal suggests that despising vanity can itself become an accessory. Whoever boasts of having outgrown superficiality is really seeking another kind of recognition: a more refined one. Think of someone who refuses to post on social media and mentions this refusal often. They have not given up applause; they have merely moved it to another stage. The honest test would be silence: to stop talking about our own detachment altogether. But being truly detached means not keeping score of our detachment, which is nearly impossible. So how can we tell real detachment from mere declamation?
Why it matters It aids in developing a realistic perspective and diminishing egoism.