--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In growing old, we become more foolish…" description: "\"In growing old, we become more foolish - and more wise.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_foolish_in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-an_487628.png" --- # In growing old, we become more foolish - and more wise. ![“In growing old, we become more foolish - and more wise.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_foolish_in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-an_487628.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_foolish_in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-an_487628.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_foolish_in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-an_487628.png) > “In growing old, we become more foolish - and more wise.” [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. Aging brings both increased folly and deeper wisdom, showing that experience can be both a curse and a gift. **In simple terms:** Old age mixes foolishness with insight. Key Takeaway Embrace learning despite mistakes. Themes wisdom aging human nature Mood reflective humorous Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - mentoring - decision making Key Concepts paradox experience self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance humility with confidence? - What practices nurture wisdom in later life? A Different Perspective Wisdom may be limited by physical decline. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growing old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-old/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise, Regardless of others, ever regardful of others, Maternal as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-am-of-old-and-young-of-the-foolish-as-much-as-the-wise-regardless/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“You're born and things stick to you. Some fall off, but most you carry around for the rest of your life. Let me be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiromi-goto/you-re-born-and-things-stick-to-you-some-fall-off-but-most-you-carry/) [Hiromi Goto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiromi-goto/) > [“Pray you now forget, and forgive: I am old and foolish,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hegland/pray-you-now-forget-and-forgive-i-am-old-and-foolish/) [Jean Hegland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hegland/) > [I may be getting old, but not foolish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-may-be-getting-old-but-not-foolish/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [My mentors grow old and foolish. I am afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/my-mentors-grow-old-and-foolish-i-am-afraid/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I pray-for fashion's word is out And prayer comes round again- That I may seem, though I die old, A foolish, passionate man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/i-pray-for-fashion-s-word-is-out-and-prayer-comes-round-again-that-i/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [The foolishness of old age does not characterize all who are old, but only the foolish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-foolishness-of-old-age-does-not-characterize-all-who-are-old-but/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I look forward to growing old and wise and audacious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/i-look-forward-to-growing-old-and-wise-and-audacious/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [“Song of myself I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise, Regardless of others, ever regardful of others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/song-of-myself-i-am-of-old-and-young-of-the-foolish-as-much-as-the/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [How do you know antiquity was foolish? How do you know the present is wise? Who made it foolish? Who made it wise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/how-do-you-know-antiquity-was-foolish-how-do-you-know-the-present-is/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Silence is foolish if we are wise, but wise if we are foolish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/silence-is-foolish-if-we-are-wise-but-wise-if-we-are-foolish/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [“It is better to be foolish wise than wise foolish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/it-is-better-to-be-foolish-wise-than-wise-foolish/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“You have to be foolish to be wise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-campbell/you-have-to-be-foolish-to-be-wise/) Becky Campbell > [“Now here is a riddle,” Melisandre said. “A clever fool and a foolish wise man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/now-here-is-a-riddle-melisandre-said-a-clever-fool-and-a-foolish-wise/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [The least foolish is wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-least-foolish-is-wise/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) ## 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 Foolish quotes > [...it isn't foolish or wicked to enjoy. Wickedness is hurting people on purpose. I love what you are and who you are and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/it-isn-t-foolish-or-wicked-to-enjoy-wickedness-is-hurting-people-on/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [I was so foolish to ever leave your side, Searching for what was right before my eyes. It was me who didn't realize, 'til…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmine-sullivan/i-was-so-foolish-to-ever-leave-your-side-searching-for-what-was-right/) [Jazmine Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmine-sullivan/) > [Regrets are just a way for the foolish and the guilty to pass the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gensoumaden-saiyuki/regrets-are-just-a-way-for-the-foolish-and-the-guilty-to-pass-the-time/) Gensoumaden Saiyuki > [The goal of the Creator is for each entity to make a conscious choice to again seek Oneness, out of our own free will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wilcock/the-goal-of-the-creator-is-for-each-entity-to-make-a-conscious-choice/) [David Wilcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wilcock/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Virtue is as little to be acquired by learning as genius; nay, the idea is barren, and is only to be employed as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/virtue-is-as-little-to-be-acquired-by-learning-as-genius-nay-the-idea/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Right, and you point out something important which is that people who don’t want to pay, people who are pirates, don’t get bothered by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/right-and-you-point-out-something-important-which-is-that-people-who/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [As nature made every man with a nose and eyes of his own, she gave him a character of his own, too; and yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/as-nature-made-every-man-with-a-nose-and-eyes-of-his-own-she-gave-him/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Foolish tongues talke by the dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/foolish-tongues-talke-by-the-dozen/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [I have my good days and my bad days, but I don't have as much energy as I used to back when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-have-my-good-days-and-my-bad-days-but-i-don-t-have-as-much-energy/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [“I wish he were better at hailing taxis than I am; on the other hand, I realize that expectation is culturally conditioned, utterly foolish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-wish-he-were-better-at-hailing-taxis-than-i-am-on-the-other-hand-i/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Go then if you must, but remember, no matter how foolish your deeds, those who love you will love you still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/go-then-if-you-must-but-remember-no-matter-how-foolish-your-deeds/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [You know what they say, 'You have to work at wisdom; you have to take pains to be reasonable, but to be foolish, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-colet/you-know-what-they-say-you-have-to-work-at-wisdom-you-have-to-take/) [Louise Colet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-colet/) > [Am I foolish and insignificant or am I great? I gave all the individuals in the world cause to kneel down in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-myung-moon/am-i-foolish-and-insignificant-or-am-i-great-i-gave-all-the/) [Sun Myung Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-myung-moon/) Browse all 1,867 Foolish quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In growing old, we become more foolish - and more wise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-and-more-wise/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Foolish" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-and-more-wise/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_foolish_in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-an_487628.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_foolish_in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-an_487628.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_foolish_in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-an_487628.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In growing old, we become more foolish - and more wise.” — 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": "In growing old, we become more...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-and-more-wise/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/in-growing-old-we-become-more-foolish-and-more-wise/#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 } } ] } ```