“We are only falsehood, duplicity, contradiction; we both conceal and disguise ourselves from ourselves.”
- June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662
- French
- Mathematician, Physicist, Inventor, Philosopher, Theologian
table of contents
Quote
“We are only falsehood, duplicity, contradiction; we both conceal and disguise ourselves from ourselves.”
Explanation
Pascal delivers a profound and unsettling judgment on the human condition: that we are not only inconsistent, but often blind to our own inconsistency. Our thoughts, motives, and actions are riddled with self-deception, contradiction, and hypocrisy. What is most troubling, he suggests, is not that we deceive others—but that we deceive ourselves, constructing identities and justifications that hide the truth from our own conscience.
In Pensées, this insight reflects Pascal’s view of humanity as fallen and fragmented, capable of greatness through reason and faith, but also deeply corrupted by pride and sin. He believed that people go to great lengths to avoid knowing themselves honestly, because true self-knowledge would expose weakness, moral failure, and dependence. Instead, we construct illusions—of virtue, control, and coherence—to maintain comfort and pride.
In today’s age of curated identities, social media, and internalized narratives, Pascal’s insight is strikingly relevant. We present versions of ourselves not only to others, but to ourselves—filtering, editing, and suppressing truths we’d rather not face. His quote challenges us to pursue radical self-honesty, and to recognize that authentic transformation begins only when the masks are dropped, not just publicly, but privately. To be whole, we must first acknowledge that we are divided.
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