James Mackintosh Quotes

There is probably no one, however rigid his virtue, who is not liable to find himself, by the complexity of circumstances, living at close quarters with the very vice which he himself has been most outspoken in condemning -- without altogether recognizing it beneath the disguise of ambiguous behavior which it assumes in his presence.

Self-nurturance, or learning to bask in bliss, is an acquired art form.

We feel good and ill only in proportion to our self-love.

Weaknesses, so called, are nothing more nor less than vice in disguise!

Should; shouldn't; ought; oughtn't—the enemies of contentment.

A vice is merely a pleasure to which somebody has objected.

Our proper bliss depends on what we blame.

I never was so rapid in my virtue but my vice kept up with me.

Self-love, as it happens to be well or ill conducted, constitutes virtue and vice.

It’s self-full to be first, to be as good as possible to you. To take care of you, keep you whole and healthy. That doesn’t mean you disregard everything and everyone. But you want to come with your cup full. You know: ‘My cup runneth over.’ What comes out of the cup is for y’all. What’s in the cup is mine. But I’ve got to keep my cup full.

[I] put the question directly to myself: "Suppose that all your objects in life were realized; that all the changes in institutions and opinions which you are looking forward to, could be completely effected at this very instant: would this be a great joy and happiness to you?" And an irrepressible self-consciousness distinctly answered, "No!

Self-satisfaction and self-pity are both condemned. What are people permitted to feel about themselves?

Self-love and the love of the world constitute hell.

I know I'm bitter and a little jaded, and mildly enjoy it, but am I a sad person? Am I happy? I plan on being happy in the future for sure, but it isn't here yet. So what does that make me, exactly?

To really 'live,' that is to find life reasonably satisfying, you must have an adequate and realistic self-image that you can life with. You must find yourself acceptable to 'you.'

Go on and love yourself, cause everything's gonna be alright.

People cannot accept their own evil if they do not at the same time feel loved, respected and trusted.

Let flattery, the handmaid of the vices, be far removed .

Pleasure itself is not a vice

I almost once wanted to publish a self help book saying, 'How To Be Happy, by Stephen Fry: Guaranteed Success'. And people buy this huge book and it's all blank pages, and the first page would just say, 'Stop feeling sorry for yourself--and you will be happy.'

Beauty comes from the happiness within.

Virtue, I grant you, is an empty boast; But shall the dignity of vice be lost?

Because there is no man who can be true and just judge of himself, so much will self-love deceive him.

The choice of life is not between fame and fortune, nor wealth and poverty, but between good and evil.

Conscience and cowardice are really the same things, Basil. Conscience is the trade-name of the firm. That is all.