The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
No matter how much care we put into hiding our passions under the appearances of devotion and honor, they can always be seen to peer out through these covers.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Our true passions can be seen, even if we try to hide them behind a facade of honor and devotion.
This quote by Francois De La Rochefoucauld suggests that no matter how diligently we attempt to suppress or conceal our true desires and passions with outward appearances of loyalty and integrity, those authentic feelings will ultimately reveal themselves. It highlights the struggle between inner truth and external representation, showcasing the difficulty of completely masking our true selves.
Themes
PassionsAppearancesHonorDevotionTruth
In practice
Example use cases
During a team meeting discussing group dynamics, one could use this quote to emphasize the importance of authenticity.
More from Francois De La Rochefoucauld
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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.
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Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
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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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