All the world knows me in my book, and my book in me.
Michel De MontaigneRead
Unless a man feels he has a good enough memory, he should never venture to lie.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Lying is risky for those who do not have a reliable memory to back up their falsehoods.
This quote by Michel De Montaigne emphasizes the inherent dangers of lying, particularly for those who lack a strong memory. It suggests that if a person is not confident in their ability to remember the details of their deception, they should avoid lying altogether, as the chances of being caught and exposed increase significantly.
Themes
LyingMemoryTruthDeceptionHonesty
In practice
Example use cases
A speaker at a personal development seminar discussing the importance of honesty.
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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