The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
What keeps us from abandoning ourselves entirely to one vice, often, is the fact that we have several.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Our inclination to indulge in multiple vices prevents us from fully succumbing to any single one.
This quote reflects on the human tendency to hold onto various vices simultaneously. It suggests that rather than completely giving in to one destructive behavior or flaw, we often have a range of them, which can serve as a sort of checks and balances, preventing total submission to any one vice. This highlights the complexity of human nature and our struggles with self-control and moral ambiguity.
Themes
VicesSelf-ControlHuman NatureMoralityComplexity
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on morality and ethics, this quote could illustrate the conflict within individuals when facing temptations.
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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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