--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who lives without folly isn't so wise…" description: "\"He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise_1604585.png" --- # He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks. ![“He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise_1604585.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise_1604585.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise_1604585.png) > “He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks.” [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. The quote warns that self‑deception can make someone think they are wiser than they truly are, because they ignore their own foolishness. **In simple terms:** Thinking you're wise without recognizing your folly is false wisdom. Key Takeaway Check your assumptions and stay humble. Themes humility self‑awareness wisdom Mood reflective cautious Type aphilosophical advice When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - decision making - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy human nature ego Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever overestimate your insight? - How can acknowledging folly improve your judgment? A Different Perspective It may overlook the value of experience and learning from mistakes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Folly Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly-isn-6107636/) [Isn Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isn-wise-1887960/) [Lives Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-folly-879798/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise Thinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-thinks-4323879/) ## Related quotes > [“Love survives in us precisely because it isn't wise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/love-survives-in-us-precisely-because-it-isn-t-wise/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [He who lives without committing any folly is not so wise as he thinks. \[Fr., Qui vit sans folie n'est pas si sage qu'il…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/he-who-lives-without-committing-any-folly-is-not-so-wise-as-he-thinks/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“He who lives without folly is not as wise as he may think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-rochefoucauld/he-who-lives-without-folly-is-not-as-wise-as-he-may-think/) [La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-rochefoucauld/) > [Security isn't what the wise person looks for - it's opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/security-isn-t-what-the-wise-person-looks-for-it-s-opportunity/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [The fool thinks he is wise and the wise thinks he is not a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-fool-thinks-he-is-wise-and-the-wise-thinks-he-is-not-a-fool/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We live in an age that reads too much to be wise, and that thinks too much to be beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/we-live-in-an-age-that-reads-too-much-to-be-wise-and-that-thinks-too/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [A great source of calamity lies in regret and anticipation; therefore a person is wise who thinks of the present alone, regardless of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/a-great-source-of-calamity-lies-in-regret-and-anticipation-therefore/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [The older a fool is, the worse he is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-older-a-fool-is-the-worse-he-is/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Sometimes there are accidents in our lives the skillful extrication from which demands a little folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/sometimes-there-are-accidents-in-our-lives-the-skillful-extrication/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Some follies are caught, like contagious diseases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/some-follies-are-caught-like-contagious-diseases/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [There are certain people fated to be fools; they not only commit follies by choice, but are even constrained to do so by fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/there-are-certain-people-fated-to-be-fools-they-not-only-commit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Some accidents there are in life that a little folly is necessary to help us out of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/some-accidents-there-are-in-life-that-a-little-folly-is-necessary-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/answer-a-fool-according-to-his-folly-lest-he-be-wise-in-his-own-eyes/) [Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/) > [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/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## 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 Folly quotes > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [“Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/understanding-is-a-wellspring-of-life-unto-him-that-hath-it-but-the/) [Proverbs 16:22 Bible KJV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/) > [Alcohol doesn't console, it doesn't fill up anyone's psychological gaps, all it replaces is the lack of God. It doesn't comfort man. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/alcohol-doesn-t-console-it-doesn-t-fill-up-anyone-s-psychological/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [Tis easy to break an idol, very easy: to regard the self as easy to subdue is folly, folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/tis-easy-to-break-an-idol-very-easy-to-regard-the-self-as-easy-to/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What curious little corners of folly are to be found in even the sanest brain!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-of-romania/what-curious-little-corners-of-folly-are-to-be-found-in-even-the/) [Marie of Romania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-of-romania/) > [Unnecessary hustle is one of the American follies. We hustle at both work and play, and consequently enjoy neither to the utmost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/unnecessary-hustle-is-one-of-the-american-follies-we-hustle-at-both/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Democracy is the worst form of government. It is the most inefficient, the most clumsy, the most unpractical… It reduces wisdom to impotence and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-briffault/democracy-is-the-worst-form-of-government-it-is-the-most-inefficient/) [Robert Briffault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-briffault/) > [It is such a supreme folly to believe that nuclear weapons are deadly only if they're used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-is-such-a-supreme-folly-to-believe-that-nuclear-weapons-are-deadly/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [One's conscience reproaches one much more stingingly for one's follies than one's crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-jewsbury/one-s-conscience-reproaches-one-much-more-stingingly-for-one-s/) [Geraldine Jewsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-jewsbury/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [We are more heavily taxed by our idleness, pride and folly than we are taxed by government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/we-are-more-heavily-taxed-by-our-idleness-pride-and-folly-than-we-are/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Browse all 1,246 Folly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise-as-he-thinks/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Folly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise-as-he-thinks/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise_1604585.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise_1604585.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise_1604585.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks.” — 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": "He who lives without folly isn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise-as-he-thinks/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/he-who-lives-without-folly-isn-t-so-wise-as-he-thinks/#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 } } ] } ```