Human life is thus only a perpetual illusion; men deceive and flatter each other.
 Blaise Pascal, Pensées (1670). copy citation

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Author Blaise Pascal
Source Pensées
Topic illusion life
Date 1670
Language English
Reference
Note Translated by W. F. Trotter
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18269/18269-h/18269-h.htm

Context

“and so they take care not to confer on him a benefit so as to injure themselves. This evil is no doubt greater and more common among the higher classes; but the lower are not exempt from it, since there is always some advantage in making men love us. Human life is thus only a perpetual illusion; men deceive and flatter each other. No one speaks of us in our presence as he does of us in our absence. Human society is founded on mutual deceit; few friendships would endure if each knew what his friend said of him in his absence, although he then spoke in sincerity and without passion.” source