"The consciousness of the falsity of present pleasures, and the ignorance of the vanity of absent pleasures, cause inconstancy"

In this quote, Blaise Pascal is suggesting that people are often irregular in their behavior since they understand the fleeting nature of present pleasures, yet uninformed of the futility of absent satisfaction. He is suggesting that individuals are typically not able to acknowledge the real value of today minute, and instead concentrate on the potential of future pleasures. This causes an absence of consistency in their behavior, as they are constantly searching for something better. Pascal is recommending that if individuals were to recognize the fleeting nature of present enjoyments and the futility of absent enjoyments, they would be more constant in their habits. He is emphasizing the importance of being mindful of the present minute and recognizing the worth of what is right in front of us. By doing so, we can avoid the trap of constantly searching for something much better and instead concentrate on what we have in the present.