Life never presents us with anything which may not be looked upon as a fresh starting point, no less than as a termination.
Andre GideRead
The true hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A hypocrite is someone who is unaware of their own deceit and believes their lies to be true.
In this quote, Andre Gide highlights the complexity of hypocrisy, suggesting that the true hypocrite is not merely someone who deceives others, but someone who has lost the ability to recognize their own deception. This form of self-deception is more insidious, as it illustrates a profound disconnect between one's beliefs and actions, ultimately questioning the integrity of a person's self-awareness.
Themes
HypocrisyDeceptionSelf-AwarenessSincerityTruth
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on ethics, one might quote this to illustrate the dangers of self-deception.
More from Andre Gide
All quotes →Do not do what someone else could do as well as you. Do not say, do not write what someone else could say, could write as well as you. Care for nothing in yourself but what you feel exists nowhere else. And, out of yourself create, impatiently or patiently, the most irreplaceable of beings.
Andre GideRead
Old hands soil, it seems, whatever they caress, but they too have their beauty when they are joined in prayer. Young hands were made for caresses and the sheathing of love. It is a pity to make them join too soon.
Andre GideRead
Through fear of resembling one another, through horror of having to submit, through uncertainty as well, through skepticism and complexity, there is a multitude of individual little beliefs for the triumph of strange little individuals.
Andre GideRead
It is the special quality of love not to be able to remain stationary, to be obliged to increase under pain of diminishing.
Andre GideRead
It is with noble sentiments that bad literature gets written.
Andre GideRead
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