The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
Nothing hinders a thing from being natural so much as the straining ourselves to make it seem so.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Authenticity is often lost when we try too hard to be genuine.
This quote emphasizes that our attempts to appear natural or authentic can often lead to the opposite effect. When we strain or overexert ourselves to present something as genuine, it can ironically become forced and inauthentic, highlighting the importance of allowing things to unfold organically without pressure.
Themes
AuthenticityNaturalGenuinenessPhilosophyEffort
In practice
Example use cases
During a team meeting, to inspire creativity, one might quote this to encourage authentic contributions.
More from Francois De La Rochefoucauld
All quotes →Old men delight in giving good advice as a consolation for the fact that they can no longer set bad examples.
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Some counterfeits reproduce so very well the truth that it would be a flaw of judgment not to be deceived by them.
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Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
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The defects and faults of the mind are like wounds in the body; after all imaginable care has been taken to heal them up, still there will be a scar left behind, and they are in continual danger of breaking the skin and bursting out again.
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To understand matters rightly we should understand their details; and as that knowledge is almost infinite, our knowledge is always superficial and imperfect.
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