--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humility is often a false front we employ…" description: "\"Humility is often a false front we employ to gain power over others.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_false_humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-emplo_630034.png" --- # Humility is often a false front we employ to gain power… ![“Humility is often a false front we employ to gain power over others.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_false_humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-emplo_630034.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_false_humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-emplo_630034.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_false_humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-emplo_630034.png) > “Humility is often a false front we employ to gain power over others.” [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 may feign modesty to manipulate others and secure advantage. **In simple terms:** False humility can be a power play. Key Takeaway Beware of insincere modesty. Themes power manipulation humility Mood cautious critical Type observational analytical When to use this quote - political negotiations - corporate leadership - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts social psychology masquerade control Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern genuine humility? - What motives might underlie modesty? A Different Perspective Such tactics can backfire and erode trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [False](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false/) [False Employ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-employ-5080194/) [False humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-humility/) [Fronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fronts/) [Gain Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gain-power-567082/) [Gains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gains/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Humility False](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility-false-1209839/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Power over others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-over-others/) ## Related quotes > [Let us be absolutely clear about one thing: we must not confuse humility with false modesty or servility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/let-us-be-absolutely-clear-about-one-thing-we-must-not-confuse/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [We must not confuse humility with false modesty or servility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-must-not-confuse-humility-with-false-modesty-or-servility/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I can't show false humility, nor be overly proud and ostentatious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite/i-can-t-show-false-humility-nor-be-overly-proud-and-ostentatious/) [Tite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite/) > [You can gain power by avoidance. You can gain power by doing certain things. You can gain much more power by meditating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-gain-power-by-avoidance-you-can-gain-power-by-doing-certain/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [To simply see a teacher to gain power is a mistake. You'll gain the power, but with the current mindset that you have you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/to-simply-see-a-teacher-to-gain-power-is-a-mistake-you-ll-gain-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [True power is not in trying to gain power; true power is in becoming power. But how to become power? It requires an attempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/true-power-is-not-in-trying-to-gain-power-true-power-is-in-becoming/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [Religion is never the problem; it's the people who use it to gain power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-casablancas/religion-is-never-the-problem-it-s-the-people-who-use-it-to-gain-power/) [Julian Casablancas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-casablancas/) > [The day obedience becomes a quest and not an irritation is the day you gain power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/the-day-obedience-becomes-a-quest-and-not-an-irritation-is-the-day/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [The only way to gain power in a world that is moving too fast is to learn to slow down. And the only way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-only-way-to-gain-power-in-a-world-that-is-moving-too-fast-is-to/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [When you are afraid of someone, they can gain power over you, meaning they can drop your energy level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-you-are-afraid-of-someone-they-can-gain-power-over-you-meaning/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We may have a tiny little room that we rent, and if we keep it clean and it's impeccable, then we gain a power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-may-have-a-tiny-little-room-that-we-rent-and-if-we-keep-it-clean/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You gain power by pretending to be weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/you-gain-power-by-pretending-to-be-weak/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [If you go to a higher place of power, you can gain power there and you might even encounter some beings of knowledge and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-go-to-a-higher-place-of-power-you-can-gain-power-there-and-you/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [An enlightened teacher teaches you how to gain power. They give you power. They teach you how to shape it so that it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/an-enlightened-teacher-teaches-you-how-to-gain-power-they-give-you/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You gain power through practicing meditation and concentration. You gain power by doing anything you like that makes you feel good. You gain power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-gain-power-through-practicing-meditation-and-concentration-you/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## 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 False quotes > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [The hypocrisy and false piety of the deniers aside, the relationships of gays have no effect on heteros. Especially all the heteros who've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/the-hypocrisy-and-false-piety-of-the-deniers-aside-the-relationships/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [Diffidence is a sort of false modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/diffidence-is-a-sort-of-false-modesty/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“Don't pretend to be what you're not, instead, pretend to what you want to be, it is not pretence, it is a journey to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/don-t-pretend-to-be-what-you-re-not-instead-pretend-to-what-you-want/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [If we are true to ourselves, we can not be false to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-we-are-true-to-ourselves-we-can-not-be-false-to-anyone/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is better to have no ideas than false ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-is-better-to-have-no-ideas-than-false-ones/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Listen! The court jester's cap and bells. The King is coming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/listen-the-court-jester-s-cap-and-bells-the-king-is-coming/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [I'm not leading them to some false God or something like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/i-m-not-leading-them-to-some-false-god-or-something-like-that/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [What is true is true, and what is false is false...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/what-is-true-is-true-and-what-is-false-is-false/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [That preconceived notion of me being inaccurate is completely false, and I look forward to changing that over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-allen/that-preconceived-notion-of-me-being-inaccurate-is-completely-false/) [Josh Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-allen/) > [There is no true life within a false life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-true-life-within-a-false-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [False praise is worse than no praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/false-praise-is-worse-than-no-praise/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [The word of God is complete, and those who don't preach the word in its fullness are false teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/the-word-of-god-is-complete-and-those-who-don-t-preach-the-word-in/) [Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/) > [It is therefore utterly false to say that Marx revokes the law of value as far as individual commodities are concerned, and maintains it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-hiferding/it-is-therefore-utterly-false-to-say-that-marx-revokes-the-law-of/) [Rudolf Hiferding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-hiferding/) > [I could not tell Himmler everything because he was too false and two-faced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-schellenberg/i-could-not-tell-himmler-everything-because-he-was-too-false-and-two/) [Walter Schellenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-schellenberg/) [Browse all 515 False quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Humility is often a false front we employ to gain power over others.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-employ-to-gain-power-over-others/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "False" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-employ-to-gain-power-over-others/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_false_humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-emplo_630034.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_false_humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-emplo_630034.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_false_humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-emplo_630034.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Humility is often a false front we employ to gain power over others.” — 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": "Humility is often a false front...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-employ-to-gain-power-over-others/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/humility-is-often-a-false-front-we-employ-to-gain-power-over-others/#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 } } ] } ```