Rene Descartes Quotes

Good sense is, of all things among men, the most equally distributed; for every one thinks himself so abundantly provided with it, that those even who are the most difficult to satisfy in everything else, do not usually desire a larger measure of this quality than they already possess.

Common sense is the most fairly distributed thing in the world, for each one thinks he is so well-endowed with it that even those who are hardest to satisfy in all other matters are not in the habit of desiring more of it than they already have.

We're surrounded by wonder, and yet we want more, and we want it bigger, faster, louder, better.

To be content with little is hard; to be content with much, impossible.

Our nature hardly allows us to have enough of anything without having too much.

Can people who hunger so desperately for what other people have ever have enough?

No man is poor who does not think himself so. But if in a full fortune with impatience he desires more, he proclaims his wants and his beggarly condition.

Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne.

Man soon finds what he wants to find. If he cannot find it otherwise, he creates it for his special enjoyment

It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.

Being able to afford everything you desire is not, by any means, the worst thing that can happen to you. But, depressingly, and more profoundly, neither is it the best.

One always wants more when things work out.

We always want what we don't have, and I'd like a long, sophisticated nose rather than a short, turned-up one.

For such is the nature of men, that howsoever they may acknowledge many others to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more learned, yet they will hardly believe there be many so wise as themselves, for they see their own wit at hand, and other men's at a distance. But this proveth rather that men are in that point equal, than unequal. For there is not ordinarily a greater sign of the equal distribution of any thing than that every man is contented with his share.

Well, I am happy, and I won't fret, but it does seem as if the more one gets the more one wants.

I would ask something more of this world, if it had something more.

One of Dr. Johnson's ingredients of happiness was, "A little less time than you want." That means always to have so many things you want to see, to have, and to do, that no day is quite long enough for all you think you would like to get done before you go to bed.

Be contented with whatsoever is; never ask for more. The moment you ask for more you have asked for hell. The moment you ask for more you have asked for misery. The desire for more creates misery.

Its really most remarkable how the human race is so seldom satisfied with what its got. Give a man the world and he's pining for the moon.

We were all brought up to want things and maybe the world isn't big enough for all that wanting. I don't know. I don't know anything

Satisfaction, even after one has dined well, is not so interesting and eager a feeling as hunger.

Few love what they may have.

The best state for human nature is that in which, while no one is poor, no one desires to be richer, nor has any reason to fear from thrust back, by the efforts of others to push themselves forward.

If thou desire not to be poor, desire not to be too rich. He is rich, not that possesses much, but he that covets no more; and he is poor, not that enjoys little, but he that wants too much. The contented mind wants nothing which it hath not; the covetous mind wants, not only what it hath not, but likewise what it hath.

Everybody thinks himself so well supplied with common sense that even those most difficult to please. . . never desire more of it than they already have.