"Man naturally desires, not only to be loved, but to be lovely."
— Adam Smith
Man Naturally Desires Not Only To
Man naturally desires, not only to be loved, but to be lovely.
About this quote
From The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), Part III, Chapter 2, where Smith discusses the desire for social approval and the internalized standards of an "impartial spectator." Smith's point is that humans do not merely want to be praised — they want to genuinely deserve praise. This distinction between actual virtue and the mere appearance of it runs throughout his moral philosophy.
Source
The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Part III, Chapter 2 (1759)
