The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
Old men delight in giving good advice as a consolation for the fact that they can no longer set bad examples.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Old men may offer valuable advice because they can no longer engage in harmful actions.
This quote suggests that older individuals often reflect on their past actions and, recognizing their own shortcomings, feel compelled to provide guidance to younger people. The irony lies in the fact that while they can share wisdom, their own experiences may have been flawed, and this advice serves as a consolation for their inability to act in their youth as they now counsel others to do.
Themes
AdviceWisdomExperienceOlder MenExamples
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a retirement speech to highlight the value of experience.
More from Francois De La Rochefoucauld
All quotes βSome counterfeits reproduce so very well the truth that it would be a flaw of judgment not to be deceived by them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
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.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
To understand matters rightly we should understand their details; and as that knowledge is almost infinite, our knowledge is always superficial and imperfect.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
In most of mankind gratitude is merely a secret hope of further favors.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
Similar quotes
We suffer much agony because we try to get from people what only God can give us, which is a sense of worth and value. Look to God for what you need, not to people.
Joyce MeyerRead
Learn all you can, don't be lazy. Nothing's worse than being stupid. Being broke is bad, but being stupid is what's really bad. And what's really really bad is being broke and stupid. Nothing's much worse than that. Unless you're sick. Sick, broke and stupid, thatβs about as far as you can fall unless you're ugly. Surely that would be the ultimate; ugly, sick, broke and stupid.
Jim RohnRead
When I hear other people's stories, I like to believe that they contribute to my 'Encyclopedia of Human Experience.' The stories I hear help me expand my definition of what love is, what pain feels like, what sacrifice means, what laughter can do.
Sarah KayRead
Banality is like boredom: bored people are boring people, people who think that things are banal are themselves banal. Interesting people can find something interesting in all things.
Idries ShahRead
Please don't retouch my wrinkles. It took me so long to earn them.
Anna MagnaniRead
Reflection is a flower of the mind, giving out wholesome fragrance; but revelry is the same flower, when rank and running to seed.
Desiderius ErasmusRead