--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fortunate persons hardly ever amend their…" description: "\"Fortunate persons hardly ever amend their ways: they always imagine that they are in the right when fortune upholds their bad conduct.\" — Francois de L..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_fortunate_fortunate-persons-hardly-ever-amend-thei_2414343.png" --- # Fortunate persons hardly ever amend their ways: they… ![“Fortunate persons hardly ever amend their ways: they always imagine that they are in the right when fortune upholds their bad conduct.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_fortunate_fortunate-persons-hardly-ever-amend-thei_2414343.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_fortunate_fortunate-persons-hardly-ever-amend-thei_2414343.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_fortunate_fortunate-persons-hardly-ever-amend-thei_2414343.png) > “Fortunate persons hardly ever amend their ways: they always imagine that they are in the right when fortune upholds their bad conduct.” [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fortune often protects the immoral, leading them to believe they are justified, which prevents self‑correction. **In simple terms:** Wealth can blind people to their faults. Key Takeaway Question self‑justification. Themes morality fortune self‑deception hubris Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political power - corporate ethics - personal relationships Key Concepts ethical psychology social influence moral luck Questions to Reflect On - How does success affect self‑assessment? - Can humility counteract this bias? A Different Perspective Not all fortunate people are immoral. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fortunate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortunate/) [Fortunate Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortunate-persons-3978656/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Fortune Upholds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune-upholds-6088991/) [Hardly Amend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardly-amend-6088992/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-that/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Persons Hardly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons-hardly-772596/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons? And I hardly believe any of our opponents will have the hardihood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/the-only-question-left-to-be-settled-now-is-are-women-persons-and-i/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [Never lose sight of the fact that all human felicity lies in man's imagination, and that he cannot think to attain it unless he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/never-lose-sight-of-the-fact-that-all-human-felicity-lies-in-man-s/) [Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/) > [The most fortunate of persons is he who has the most means to satisfy his vagaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/the-most-fortunate-of-persons-is-he-who-has-the-most-means-to-satisfy/) [Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/) > [For me, spirituality includes the belief in things larger than ourselves, an appreciation of nature and beauty, a sensitivity to the world, a feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/for-me-spirituality-includes-the-belief-in-things-larger-than/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Those that have had great passions esteem themselves for the rest of their lives fortunate and unfortunate in being cured of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/those-that-have-had-great-passions-esteem-themselves-for-the-rest-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [You must never imagine, that just because something is funny, it is not also dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-must-never-imagine-that-just-because-something-is-funny-it-is-not/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [If you read the 'Daily Mail,' you would imagine that the British middle classes lead lives of unremitting misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hoggart/if-you-read-the-daily-mail-you-would-imagine-that-the-british-middle/) [Simon Hoggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hoggart/) > [Don't think of us as separate beings. Imagine that we are one body and it's been split into millions. When we sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/don-t-think-of-us-as-separate-beings-imagine-that-we-are-one-body-and/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I imagine that in a closed, hermetic society like the mob, where everybody knows each other, it must be really, really unpleasant to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dominik/i-imagine-that-in-a-closed-hermetic-society-like-the-mob-where/) [Andrew Dominik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dominik/) > [Jane had that happy disposition which would like to imagine that every one really wishes the well-being of his neighbour and struggles, though sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/jane-had-that-happy-disposition-which-would-like-to-imagine-that/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [You imagine that I look back on my life's work with calm satisfaction. But from nearby it looks quite different. There is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/you-imagine-that-i-look-back-on-my-life-s-work-with-calm-satisfaction/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [It seems an insult to nature and to the Creator to imagine that pregnancy was ever intended to be a sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-bisbee-duffey/it-seems-an-insult-to-nature-and-to-the-creator-to-imagine-that/) [Eliza Bisbee Duffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-bisbee-duffey/) > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) ## More by Francois de La Rochefoucauld > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/) [François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-woman-is-faithful-to-her-first-lover-for-a-long-time-unless-she/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-distrust-of-another-justifies-his-deceit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/no-persons-are-more-frequently-wrong-than-those-who-will-not-admit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-is-always-born-with-love-but-does-not-die-with-it-in/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-of-all-gifts-is-the-power-to-estimate-things-at-their/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-have-not-strength-enough-to-follow-our-reason-so-far-as-it-would/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) [Explore all 1,134 Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More Fortunate quotes > [It is indeed a surprising and fortunate fact that nature can be expressed by relatively low-order mathematical functions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-carnap/it-is-indeed-a-surprising-and-fortunate-fact-that-nature-can-be/) [Rudolf Carnap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-carnap/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I am fortunate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-am-fortunate/) [Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/) > [The fortunate circumstances of our lives are generally found, at last, to be of our own producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-fortunate-circumstances-of-our-lives-are-generally-found-at-last/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [I have been very fortunate to have a partner who really stepped up and have wonderful children who do a lot of things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-have-been-very-fortunate-to-have-a-partner-who-really-stepped-up/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [We are very fortunate to be recognized here in such an extraordinary manner for work that we enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-altman/we-are-very-fortunate-to-be-recognized-here-in-such-an-extraordinary/) [Sidney Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-altman/) > [Most magicians consider the palm an easy move to make. They are inclined to believe that they are 'getting away with it,' when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dai-vernon/most-magicians-consider-the-palm-an-easy-move-to-make-they-are/) [Dai Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dai-vernon/) > [A perfect movie is a different thing, but a funny movie is easy. I was really happy that I got everyone that I got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/a-perfect-movie-is-a-different-thing-but-a-funny-movie-is-easy-i-was/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [We in Illinois are very fortunate to have a number of historic structures that have added immeasurably to the cultural life of the state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-thompson/we-in-illinois-are-very-fortunate-to-have-a-number-of-historic/) [James R. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-thompson/) > [I can't say it was challenging for me to shake the image of Frasier. I've been fortunate to have had a very interesting career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-grammer/i-can-t-say-it-was-challenging-for-me-to-shake-the-image-of-frasier-i/) [Kelsey Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-grammer/) > [As a fan of the books, I feel fortunate to be part of 'The Hunger Games' family. It was an amazing experience; I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/as-a-fan-of-the-books-i-feel-fortunate-to-be-part-of-the-hunger-games/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [I just don't think of myself as a star. This is what I do for a living; I'm fortunate that I make ends meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/i-just-don-t-think-of-myself-as-a-star-this-is-what-i-do-for-a-living/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [I've grown up playing for some incredible coaches, and I don't think anybody's ever been as fortunate as I have in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-brown/i-ve-grown-up-playing-for-some-incredible-coaches-and-i-don-t-think/) [Larry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-brown/) > [I'm fortunate in one way and I can take pride from the fact that I've consistently performed for 10 years, which is something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cavendish/i-m-fortunate-in-one-way-and-i-can-take-pride-from-the-fact-that-i-ve/) [Mark Cavendish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cavendish/) > [I'm very fortunate in my life to be able to do what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-draper/i-m-very-fortunate-in-my-life-to-be-able-to-do-what-i-want-to-do/) [Jack Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-draper/) [Browse all 2,107 Fortunate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortunate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fortunate persons hardly ever amend their ways: they always imagine that they are in the right when fortune upholds their bad conduct.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/fortunate-persons-hardly-ever-amend-their-ways-they-always-imagine/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fortunate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/fortunate-persons-hardly-ever-amend-their-ways-they-always-imagine/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_fortunate_fortunate-persons-hardly-ever-amend-thei_2414343.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_fortunate_fortunate-persons-hardly-ever-amend-thei_2414343.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2e/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_fortunate_fortunate-persons-hardly-ever-amend-thei_2414343.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fortunate persons hardly ever amend their ways: they always imagine that they are in the right when fortune…” — Francois de La Rochefoucauld", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Fortunate persons hardly ever amend their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/fortunate-persons-hardly-ever-amend-their-ways-they-always-imagine/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/fortunate-persons-hardly-ever-amend-their-ways-they-always-imagine/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```