“If we dreamed the same thing every night, it would affect us as much as the objects we see every day. And if an artisan was sure of dreaming for twelve hours every night that he was king, I believe he would be almost as happy as a king who dreamed for twelve hours every night that he was an artisan....But because dreams are all different, and there is a variety even within each one, what we see in them affects us much less than what we see when we are awake, because of the continuity. This, however, is not so continuous and even that it does not change too, though less abruptly, except on rare occasions, as on a journey, when we say: 'It seems like a dream.' For life is a dream, but somewhat less changeable.”
Explore This Quote Further
Quote Analysis
In this thought-provoking quote by Blaise Pascal, the French philosopher delves into the nature of dreams and their impact on our daily lives. Pascal suggests that if we were to dream the same thing every night, it would affect us as much as the objects we see every day. He argues that dreams, due to their variability and lack of continuity, have less of an impact on us compared to our waking experiences. Pascal goes on to liken life itself to a dream, albeit one that is slightly less changeable. This quote encourages readers to reflect on the transient nature of both dreams and reality, and how they shape our perceptions and experiences.
Modern Relevance of Blaise Pascal's Quote
In today's fast-paced world filled with constant change and unpredictability, Blaise Pascal's reflection on the nature of dreams and reality can still offer valuable insights. Let's explore how his words can be applied to our modern lives.
In our modern society, where technology and social media constantly bombard us with information and stimuli, it is easy to get swept away by the ever-changing nature of our surroundings. Just like how Pascal describes dreams as being different each night, our experiences and interactions in the digital realm can also vary tremendously. However, Pascal reminds us that despite the continuous flux of our surroundings, there is an underlying continuity to our lives that shapes our identities and experiences. This notion can serve as a soothing reminder in times of uncertainty and chaos, helping us to ground ourselves in our core values and beliefs even amidst the constant changes of the world around us.
Dreaming and Reality in the Eyes of Blaise Pascal
In the quote by Blaise Pascal, he compares dreaming to the waking world, suggesting that the consistency of our waking experiences has a greater impact on us than the ever-changing nature of our dreams. This concept of life being a dream, albeit less changeable, reflects Pascal's philosophical view on the relationship between dreams and reality.
- "If we dreamed the same thing every night, it would affect us as much as the objects we see every day."
- "And if an artisan was sure of dreaming for twelve hours every night that he was king, I believe he would be almost as happy as a king who dreamed for twelve hours every night that he was an artisan."
- "Because dreams are all different, and there is a variety even within each one, what we see in them affects us much less than what we see when we are awake, because of the continuity."
- "This, however, is not so continuous and even that it does not change too, though less abruptly, except on rare occasions, as on a journey when we say: 'It seems like a dream.' For life is a dream, but somewhat less changeable."
Pascal's contemplation on the nature of dreaming and the waking world invites readers to reflect on the significance of consistency and change in shaping our perceptions and experiences.
Reflection Questions
Upon reflecting on the passage by Blaise Pascal, consider the following questions:
- How do dreams impact our daily lives and perceptions of reality?
- Do you believe that dreams can have a lasting effect on our emotions and mindset?
- In what ways can the concept of life being a dream be applied to our own experiences and understanding of the world?
- How does the idea of continuity in waking life contrast with the ever-changing nature of dreams?
- Can we draw parallels between the unpredictability of dreams and the unpredictable nature of life itself?
Similar quotes
“In a night, or in a day,In a vision, or in none,Is it therefore the less gone?All that we see or seemIs but a dream within a dream”
“Yet if Hope has flown awayIn a night, or in a day, In a vision, or in none,Is it therefore the less gone?All that we see or seemIs but a dream within a dream.”
“We are full of things which take us out of ourselves. Our instinct makes us feel that we must seek our happiness outside ourselves. Our passions impel us outside, even when no objects present themselves to excite them. External objects tempt us of themselves, and call to us, even when we are not thinking of them. And thus philosophers have said in vain, " Retire within yourselves, you will find your good there." We do not believe them, and those who believe them are the most empty and the most foolish.”
“We know that there is an infinite, and we know not its nature. As we know it to be false that numbers are finite, it is therefore true that there is a numerical infinity. But we know not of what kind; it is untrue that it is even, untrue that it is odd; for the addition of a unit does not change its nature; yet it is a number, and every number is odd or even (this certainly holds of every finite number). Thus we may quite well know that there is a God without knowing what He is.”
“We never keep to the present. We recall the past; we anticipate the future as if we found it too slow in coming and were trying to hurry it up, or we recall the past as if to stay its too rapid flight. We are so unwise that we wander about in times that do not belong to us, and do not think of the only one that does; so vain that we dream of times that are not and blindly flee the only one that is. The fact is the present usually hurts.”
“We know that we are not dreaming, but, however unable we may be to prove it rationally, our inability proves nothing but the weakness of our reason, and not the uncertainty of all our knowledge as they maintain.”