The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
Good advice is something a man gives when he is too old to set a bad example.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Good advice often comes from those who have learned from their mistakes over time.
This quote by Francois De La Rochefoucauld suggests that individuals who have lived long enough have likely made their share of mistakes and learned valuable lessons from them. Thus, their advice is rooted in experience rather than theoretical knowledge, and it serves to steer others away from the errors they themselves have made.
Themes
AdviceWisdomExperienceMistakesLearning
In practice
Example use cases
During a graduation speech, one could quote this to emphasize the importance of learning from life experiences.
More from Francois De La Rochefoucauld
All quotes βOld men delight in giving good advice as a consolation for the fact that they can no longer set bad examples.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
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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