--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men are not only prone to forget…" description: "\"Men are not only prone to forget benefits; they even hate those who have obliged them, and cease to hate those who have injured them. The necessity of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_benefits_men-are-not-only-prone-to-forget-benefit_184977.jpg" --- # Men are not only prone to forget benefits; they even hate… ![“Men are not only prone to forget benefits; they even hate those who have obliged them, and cease to hate those who have injured them. The necessity of revenging an injury, or of recompensing a benefit seems a slavery to which they are unwilling to submit.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_benefits_men-are-not-only-prone-to-forget-benefit_184977.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_benefits_men-are-not-only-prone-to-forget-benefit_184977.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_benefits_men-are-not-only-prone-to-forget-benefit_184977.jpg) > “Men are not only prone to forget benefits; they even hate those who have obliged them, and cease to hate those who have injured them. The necessity of revenging an injury, or of recompensing a benefit seems a slavery to which they are unwilling to submit.” [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 forget kindness and resent those who helped them, while they may tolerate or even accept harm, because gratitude feels like a loss of freedom. **In simple terms:** Gratitude feels like a burden, so people forget and resent helpers. Key Takeaway Recognize and appreciate kindness without feeling indebted. Themes gratitude human nature reciprocity social psychology ego humility Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace - family - community - conflict resolution Key Concepts cognitive bias social dynamics moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does fear of indebtedness affect your relationships? - Can you practice gratitude without feeling enslaved? A Different Perspective People may rationalize harm to protect self-image, limiting true gratitude. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Benefit Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefit-slavery-1968837/) [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Benefits Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits-hate-1968835/) [Benevolence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benevolence/) [Cease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cease/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forget Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget-benefits-1968836/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hate Injured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-injured-894556/) [Injured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injured/) [Injury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injury/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Necessity Revenging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessity-revenging-1968838/) [Obliged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obliged/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Submit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/submit/) [Unwilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unwilling/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing is more common than for persons to hate those whom they have injured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-lennox/nothing-is-more-common-than-for-persons-to-hate-those-whom-they-have/) [Charlotte Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-lennox/) > [It is a principle of human nature to hate those whom we have injured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/it-is-a-principle-of-human-nature-to-hate-those-whom-we-have-injured/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [It belongs to human nature to hate those you have injured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/it-belongs-to-human-nature-to-hate-those-you-have-injured/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [It is the nature of the human disposition to hate him whom you have injured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/it-is-the-nature-of-the-human-disposition-to-hate-him-whom-you-have/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [It is human to hate those whom we have injured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/it-is-human-to-hate-those-whom-we-have-injured/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [“It is a principle of nature to hate those whom you have injured.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/it-is-a-principle-of-nature-to-hate-those-whom-you-have-injured/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Moderation resembles temperance. We are not so unwilling to eat more, as afraid of doing ourselves harm by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/moderation-resembles-temperance-we-are-not-so-unwilling-to-eat-more/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We endeavor to make a virtue of the faults we are unwilling to correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-endeavor-to-make-a-virtue-of-the-faults-we-are-unwilling-to-correct/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We always hear from newspapers that while people understand the environmental challenge, they are unwilling to stomach the solutions. The trouble is, we only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-goldsmith/we-always-hear-from-newspapers-that-while-people-understand-the/) [Zac Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-goldsmith/) > [Excessive distrust is not less hurtfJul than its opposite. Most men become useless to him who is unwilling to risk being deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/excessive-distrust-is-not-less-hurtfjul-than-its-opposite-most-men/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Fate leads the willing and drags along the unwilling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/fate-leads-the-willing-and-drags-along-the-unwilling/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [Student loans have been helpful to many. But they offer neither incentive nor assistance to those students who, by reason of family or other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/student-loans-have-been-helpful-to-many-but-they-offer-neither/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [A love to Christ which is so cowardly and selfish that it is unwilling to proclaim by a public confession its faith in Him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbott-eliot-kittredge/a-love-to-christ-which-is-so-cowardly-and-selfish-that-it-is/) [Abbott Eliot Kittredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbott-eliot-kittredge/) > [“What you seem so unwilling to accept, even now, is this: that the ideals which supported the old Republic had no correspondence to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/what-you-seem-so-unwilling-to-accept-even-now-is-this-that-the-ideals/) [John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## 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 Benefits quotes > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Shortly after I turned 50, both Ted Turner and the AARP came into my life. The only difference? With AARP, there were benefits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/shortly-after-i-turned-50-both-ted-turner-and-the-aarp-came-into-my/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [Politics is about power. It is about the power of the state. It is about the power of the state as applied to individuals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-rudd/politics-is-about-power-it-is-about-the-power-of-the-state-it-is/) [Kevin Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-rudd/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-us-think-of-education-as-the-means-of-developing-our-greatest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To really be of benefit to others as the Buddha always taught, we ourselves must first get out of the swamp. One of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/to-really-be-of-benefit-to-others-as-the-buddha-always-taught-we/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [I won the seat of Oxley largely on an issue that has resulted in me being called a racist. That issue related to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-hanson/i-won-the-seat-of-oxley-largely-on-an-issue-that-has-resulted-in-me/) [Pauline Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-hanson/) > [Intelligence is a separate gift, for the benefit of students, so that they may think of themselves as intellectual and not very intelligent, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/intelligence-is-a-separate-gift-for-the-benefit-of-students-so-that/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I've always said that I benefit, as an actor, from not having the illusion of security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-ve-always-said-that-i-benefit-as-an-actor-from-not-having-the/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [Benefits received are a delight to us as long as we think we can requite them; when that possibility is far exceeded, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/benefits-received-are-a-delight-to-us-as-long-as-we-think-we-can/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) [Browse all 3,616 Benefits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Men are not only prone to forget benefits; they even hate those who have obliged them, and cease to hate those who have injured them. 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