All the world knows me in my book, and my book in me.
Michel De MontaigneRead
There is no man so good, who, were he to submit all his thoughts and actions to the laws, would not deserve hanging ten times in his life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that all humans have flaws and moral failings that, if exposed to scrutiny, would make anyone deserving of severe judgment.
Michel De Montaigne's quote captures the essence of human imperfection and the idea that no one is entirely virtuous. It highlights that everyone harbors thoughts and actions that, when put under the strict lens of moral law, would reveal deep flaws, challenging the notion of complete goodness in any individual. This reflection encourages humility and understanding of our shared human condition.
Themes
Human NatureImperfectionMoralityHumility
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about ethics, you could use this quote to emphasize the complexity of moral judgment.
More from Michel De Montaigne
All quotes βAll I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.
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Pythagoras used to say that life resembles the Olympic Games: a few people strain their muscles to carry off a prize; others bring trinkets to sell to the crowd for gain; and some there are, and not the worst, who seek no other profit than to look at the show and see how and why everything is done; spectators of the life of other people in order to judge and regulate their own.
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There is not much less vexation in the government of a private family than in the managing of an entire state.
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Those who have compared our life to a dream were right... we were sleeping wake, and waking sleep.
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Such as are in immediate fear of a losing their estates, of banishment, or of slavery, live in perpetual anguish, and lose all appetite and repose; whereas such as are actually poor, slaves, or exiles, ofttimes live as merrily as other folk.
Michel De MontaigneRead
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