The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
A refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Rejecting praise often indicates a deeper desire for affirmation and recognition.
This quote suggests that when someone refuses praise, it may not simply be an act of humility; rather, it could reflect an underlying wish for validation and acknowledgment. The refusal itself can be a way to elicit further praise, highlighting the complex nature of human motivations and the dynamics of social interactions.
Themes
PraiseDesireRecognitionHumilitySocial Dynamics
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech, someone might quote this to address the nature of humility in leadership.
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.
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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.
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.
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