--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to…" description: "\"Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_hypocrisy-is-the-homage-vice-pays-to-vir_2732728.png" --- # Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue. ![“Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_hypocrisy-is-the-homage-vice-pays-to-vir_2732728.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_hypocrisy-is-the-homage-vice-pays-to-vir_2732728.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_hypocrisy-is-the-homage-vice-pays-to-vir_2732728.png) > “Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue.” [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 often use hypocrisy to honor virtue, revealing a paradoxical relationship between moral ideals and human behavior. **In simple terms:** Hypocrisy praises virtue. Key Takeaway Recognize and address personal hypocrisy. Themes hypocrisy virtue paradox human nature Mood critical analytical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - politics - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts moral psychology social conformity Questions to Reflect On - Why do we hide behind hypocrisy? - Can virtue exist without hypocrisy? A Different Perspective Hypocrisy can undermine trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Homage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homage/) [Hypocrisy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrisy/) [Vice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vice/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [Hypocrisy is the homage which vice pays to virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/hypocrisy-is-the-homage-which-vice-pays-to-virtue/) [François De La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Hypocrisy is an homage that vice renders to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/hypocrisy-is-an-homage-that-vice-renders-to-virtue/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Hypocrisy is the homage that vice and wrong pay to virtue and justice .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pike/hypocrisy-is-the-homage-that-vice-and-wrong-pay-to-virtue-and-justice/) [Albert Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pike/) > [“Hypocrisy is a sort of homage that vice pays to virtue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/hypocrisy-is-a-sort-of-homage-that-vice-pays-to-virtue/) Various > [“Hypocrisy a homage is true, That vice pays to virtue, Be man - himself so true, That no false does he brew.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munindra-misra/hypocrisy-a-homage-is-true-that-vice-pays-to-virtue-be-man-himself-so/) [Munindra Misra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munindra-misra/) > [Hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/hypocrisy-is-the-tribute-that-vice-pays-to-virtue/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [“Hypocrisy is a tribute that vice pays to virtue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-duc-de-la-rochefoucauld/hypocrisy-is-a-tribute-that-vice-pays-to-virtue/) [Francois Duc De La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-duc-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Hypocrisy is said to be the homage that vice pays to virtue,—decorum is the outward expression of that homage; and if this be so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-robert-maturin/hypocrisy-is-said-to-be-the-homage-that-vice-pays-to-virtue-decorum/) [Charles Robert Maturin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-robert-maturin/) > [The hate of favourites is only a love of favour. The envy of NOT possessing it, consoles and softens its regrets by the contempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-hate-of-favourites-is-only-a-love-of-favour-the-envy-of-not/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [When you hear men talking," said Cornelia, "all they ever do is speak ill of women. ... And I don't quite know how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moderata-fonte/when-you-hear-men-talking-said-cornelia-all-they-ever-do-is-speak-ill/) [Moderata Fonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moderata-fonte/) > [“Feeling important is a vice, not a virtue, however concealed as participation in something noble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/feeling-important-is-a-vice-not-a-virtue-however-concealed-as/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [More people are flattered into virtue than bullied out of vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-smith-surtees/more-people-are-flattered-into-virtue-than-bullied-out-of-vice/) [Robert Smith Surtees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-smith-surtees/) > [“If she knew me as I really am she would despise me, and certainly not aid or abet my evil designs. To veil their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-beckford/if-she-knew-me-as-i-really-am-she-would-despise-me-and-certainly-not/) [William Beckford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-beckford/) > [Weakness is more opposed to virtue than is vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/weakness-is-more-opposed-to-virtue-than-is-vice/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [What often prevents our abandoning ourselves to a single vice is, our having more than one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/what-often-prevents-our-abandoning-ourselves-to-a-single-vice-is-our/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## 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 Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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