The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
A refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Rejecting praise often indicates a deeper desire for affirmation and recognition.
This quote suggests that when someone refuses praise, it may not simply be an act of humility; rather, it could reflect an underlying wish for validation and acknowledgment. The refusal itself can be a way to elicit further praise, highlighting the complex nature of human motivations and the dynamics of social interactions.
Themes
PraiseDesireRecognitionHumilitySocial Dynamics
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech, someone might quote this to address the nature of humility in leadership.
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.
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
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