"Nothing is more humiliating than to see idiots succeed in enterprises we have failed in"

In this quote, Gustave Flaubert reveals the sensation of humiliation that emerges when we witness individuals who are not as skilled or smart as us, be successful in ventures that we have failed in. This sensation of humiliation originates from a sense of insufficiency and dissatisfaction in ourselves. It highlights the disappointment and bitterness that can arise when we see others accomplish what we could not, in spite of our efforts. Flaubert's words also recommend that this sensation of humiliation is magnified when the people who prosper are perceived as "morons," further highlighting the contrast between their viewed absence of intelligence and our own viewed competence. In general, this quote speaks to the complex feelings that arise when we are confronted with our own failures and the success of others.