The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
Pride does not wish to owe and vanity does not wish to pay.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Pride prevents us from accepting help, while vanity keeps us from offering it.
This quote by Francois De La Rochefoucauld highlights the complexities of human emotions and social interactions, emphasizing that pride can obstruct our ability to accept assistance from others, while vanity can inhibit us from reciprocating and offering help. It speaks to the idea that our ego can create barriers in relationships, ultimately undermining both our capacity to receive and to give support.
Themes
PrideVanityEgoHumilityRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
A speaker at a leadership conference might use this quote to illustrate the importance of humility in teamwork.
More from Francois De La Rochefoucauld
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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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