--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is great folly to wish to be wise all…" description: "\"It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_it-is-great-folly-to-wish-to-be-wise-all_2172930.png" --- # It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone. ![“It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_it-is-great-folly-to-wish-to-be-wise-all_2172930.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_it-is-great-folly-to-wish-to-be-wise-all_2172930.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_it-is-great-folly-to-wish-to-be-wise-all_2172930.png) > “It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone.” [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. Seeking wisdom alone is foolish; wisdom thrives in shared discourse. **In simple terms:** Wisdom needs community, not isolation. Key Takeaway Seek counsel, share insights. Themes wisdom community humility Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - team decision‑making - mentoring - public debate Key Concepts social learning philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Who can you learn from today? - How does collaboration deepen understanding? A Different Perspective May underestimate value of solitary reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [Grant folly's prayers that hinder folly's wish, And serve the ends of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/grant-folly-s-prayers-that-hinder-folly-s-wish-and-serve-the-ends-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [To take offence is a great folly, and to give offence is a great folly - I know not which is the greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/to-take-offence-is-a-great-folly-and-to-give-offence-is-a-great-folly/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [To think to be wise alone is a very great folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/to-think-to-be-wise-alone-is-a-very-great-folly/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [In public, as well as in private expences, great wealth may, perhaps, frequently be admitted as an apology for great folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/in-public-as-well-as-in-private-expences-great-wealth-may-perhaps/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [If suffering brings wisdom, I would wish to be less wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/if-suffering-brings-wisdom-i-would-wish-to-be-less-wise/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [A wise man once said perfection is a process I wish I was that wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-wise-man-once-said-perfection-is-a-process-i-wish-i-was-that-wise/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you wish a wise answer, you must put a rational question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/if-you-wish-a-wise-answer-you-must-put-a-rational-question/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Just as it is agreed that we all wish to be happy, so it is that we all wish to be wise, since no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/just-as-it-is-agreed-that-we-all-wish-to-be-happy-so-it-is-that-we/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [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/) ## 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 > [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": "It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-great-folly-to-wish-to-be-wise-all-alone/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Folly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-great-folly-to-wish-to-be-wise-all-alone/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_it-is-great-folly-to-wish-to-be-wise-all_2172930.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_it-is-great-folly-to-wish-to-be-wise-all_2172930.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2b/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_folly_it-is-great-folly-to-wish-to-be-wise-all_2172930.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone.” — 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": "It is great folly to wish...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-great-folly-to-wish-to-be-wise-all-alone/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-great-folly-to-wish-to-be-wise-all-alone/#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 } } ] } ```