---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who imagines he can do without the…"
description: "\"He who imagines he can do without the world deceives himself much; but he who fancies the world cannot do without him is still more mistaken.\" — Franco..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/783/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_deceives_he-who-imagines-he-can-do-without-the-wo_474141.png"
---

#  He who imagines he can do without the world deceives…

![“He who imagines he can do without the world deceives himself much; but he who fancies the world cannot do without him is still more mistaken.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/783/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_deceives_he-who-imagines-he-can-do-without-the-wo_474141.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/783/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_deceives_he-who-imagines-he-can-do-without-the-wo_474141.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/783/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_deceives_he-who-imagines-he-can-do-without-the-wo_474141.png)

> “He who imagines he can do without the world deceives himself much; but he who fancies the world cannot do without him is still more mistaken.”

[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.

People cannot truly detach from society; both isolation and overdependence are flawed.

**In simple terms:** We need balance between independence and community.

Key Takeaway

Seek healthy interdependence.

Themes

individualism community balance

Mood

reflective serious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- career
- family life
- social activism
- mental health

Key Concepts

philosophy human nature

Questions to Reflect On

- How much independence do you need?
- When does reliance become harmful?

A Different Perspective

Total independence is unrealistic; total dependence can be stifling.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

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> [“I still think that the greater part of the world is mistaken about many things. Surely one may be sane and yet think so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/i-still-think-that-the-greater-part-of-the-world-is-mistaken-about/)

[George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/)

> [The image of the world around us, which we carry in our head, is just a model. Nobody in his head imagines all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-wright-forrester/the-image-of-the-world-around-us-which-we-carry-in-our-head-is-just-a/)

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> [The visionary starts with a clean sheet of paper, and re-imagines the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-visionary-starts-with-a-clean-sheet-of-paper-and-re-imagines-the/)

[Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/)

> [“As the lights fade to a distant glow, I look back toward the city and imagine, somewhere in all of those lives, a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noriko-nakada/as-the-lights-fade-to-a-distant-glow-i-look-back-toward-the-city-and/)

Noriko Nakada

> [“This is precisely how someone speaks who imagines that he is the world's divinely appointed ruler: 'I will not LET them starve. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/this-is-precisely-how-someone-speaks-who-imagines-that-he-is-the/)

[Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/)

> [Life deceives everyone except the individual who doesn't contemplate it, the individual who demands nothing from it, the individual who serenely accepts its few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-turgenev/life-deceives-everyone-except-the-individual-who-doesn-t-contemplate/)

[Ivan Turgenev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-turgenev/)

> [In order to use color effectively it is necessary to recognize that color deceives continually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/in-order-to-use-color-effectively-it-is-necessary-to-recognize-that/)

[Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/)

> [Everything that deceives does so by casting a spell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/everything-that-deceives-does-so-by-casting-a-spell/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [One is never deceived; one deceives oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/one-is-never-deceived-one-deceives-oneself/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [The thought of death deceives us; for it causes us to neglect to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-thought-of-death-deceives-us-for-it-causes-us-to-neglect-to-live/)

[Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/)

> [Pretence about anything sometimes deceives the wisest and shrewdest man, but, however cunningly it is hidden, a child of the meanest capacity feels it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/pretence-about-anything-sometimes-deceives-the-wisest-and-shrewdest/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [Amusement allures and deceives us and leads us down imperceptibly in thoughtlessness to the grave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-allures-and-deceives-us-and-leads-us-down-imperceptibly-in/)

[Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/)

> [Whoever commits a fraud is guilty not only of the particular injury to him who he deceives, but of the diminution of that confidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/whoever-commits-a-fraud-is-guilty-not-only-of-the-particular-injury/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Amusement that is excessive and followed only for its own sake, allures and deceives us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-that-is-excessive-and-followed-only-for-its-own-sake/)

[Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/)

## 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 Deceives quotes

> [“Anyone who believes that new benefits make men of high station forget old injuries deceives himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-believes-that-new-benefits-make-men-of-high-station-forget/)

[Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/)

> [Amusement that is excessive and followed only for its own sake, allures and deceives us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-that-is-excessive-and-followed-only-for-its-own-sake/)

[Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/)

> [Whoever commits a fraud is guilty not only of the particular injury to him who he deceives, but of the diminution of that confidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/whoever-commits-a-fraud-is-guilty-not-only-of-the-particular-injury/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Amusement allures and deceives us and leads us down imperceptibly in thoughtlessness to the grave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-allures-and-deceives-us-and-leads-us-down-imperceptibly-in/)

[Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/)

> [Pretence about anything sometimes deceives the wisest and shrewdest man, but, however cunningly it is hidden, a child of the meanest capacity feels it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/pretence-about-anything-sometimes-deceives-the-wisest-and-shrewdest/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [The thought of death deceives us; for it causes us to neglect to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-thought-of-death-deceives-us-for-it-causes-us-to-neglect-to-live/)

[Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/)

> [“If someone deceives and victimizes another, understand that he would do, at least, the same to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-william-manley/if-someone-deceives-and-victimizes-another-understand-that-he-would/)

D William Manley

> [“Guard yourself from lying; there is he who deceives and there is he who is deceived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sextus/guard-yourself-from-lying-there-is-he-who-deceives-and-there-is-he/)

Sextus

> [“Everything that deceives also enchants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/everything-that-deceives-also-enchants/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [One is never deceived; one deceives oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/one-is-never-deceived-one-deceives-oneself/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [Everything that deceives does so by casting a spell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/everything-that-deceives-does-so-by-casting-a-spell/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [In order to use color effectively it is necessary to recognize that color deceives continually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/in-order-to-use-color-effectively-it-is-necessary-to-recognize-that/)

[Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/)

> [The Human Rights Organisation deceives the world by calling itself a human rights council.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-lapid/the-human-rights-organisation-deceives-the-world-by-calling-itself-a/)

[Yair Lapid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-lapid/)

> [Life deceives everyone except the individual who doesn't contemplate it, the individual who demands nothing from it, the individual who serenely accepts its few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-turgenev/life-deceives-everyone-except-the-individual-who-doesn-t-contemplate/)

[Ivan Turgenev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-turgenev/)

> [For love deceives the best of woman kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/for-love-deceives-the-best-of-woman-kind/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

Browse all 62 Deceives quotes

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