He came to the conclusion that humans confused the content with the container.They would gorge themselves on great plates of inferior food, imagining it to be delicious because there was simply so much of it. Or, they would make half wits their leaders, merely because they were pleasing to the eye, or because their words were spoken in honeyed voices.And when it came to information, they would champion weighty tomes that contained almost no real content, while shunning small books that imparted real truth.
The author conveys a critical perspective on human tendencies to confuse substance with superficiality. He notes that people often indulge in large quantities of inferior food, celebrating the quantity rather than quality, which leads to a misunderstanding of what is truly satisfying. Similarly, the public tends to elevate charming but unqualified individuals to leadership positions solely based on their appearance or smooth speech, neglecting their actual capabilities.
Moreover, the text emphasizes a similar misjudgment in the realm of knowledge. Individuals may prefer voluminous books that lack meaningful insight while ignoring concise works that deliver essential truths. This highlights a broader societal issue where appearances and the allure of abundance often overshadow genuine value, questioning the discernment of people in various aspects of life.
