--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Passion very often makes the wisest men…" description: "\"Passion very often makes the wisest men fools, and very often too inspires the greatest fools with wit.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_fool_passion-very-often-makes-the-wisest-men_926686.png" --- # Passion very often makes the wisest men fools, and very… ![“Passion very often makes the wisest men fools, and very often too inspires the greatest fools with wit.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_fool_passion-very-often-makes-the-wisest-men_926686.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_fool_passion-very-often-makes-the-wisest-men_926686.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_fool_passion-very-often-makes-the-wisest-men_926686.png) > “Passion very often makes the wisest men fools, and very often too inspires the greatest fools with wit.” [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. Passion can blind even the wise, turning them into fools, while also inspiring clever fools with wit. **In simple terms:** Passion can make anyone act foolishly. Key Takeaway Beware of letting passion cloud judgment. Themes passion wisdom foolishness wit human nature Mood thoughtful cautionary philosophical Type maxim reflection advice When to use this quote - decision making - creative inspiration - risk of excess Key Concepts psychology of desire philosophical paradox social behavior Questions to Reflect On - When has passion helped you achieve something great? - Can passion be a constructive force? A Different Perspective Passion can also drive positive creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest Clerkes be not the wisest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/the-greatest-clerkes-be-not-the-wisest-men/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [The facile delusions which conceal from us our true situation all amount to this: that we are, or can be, wiser than the wisest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/the-facile-delusions-which-conceal-from-us-our-true-situation-all/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [Any man will go considerably out of his way to pick up a silver dollar; but here are golden words, which the wisest men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/any-man-will-go-considerably-out-of-his-way-to-pick-up-a-silver/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The wisest men are wise to the full in death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-wisest-men-are-wise-to-the-full-in-death/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The gretteste clerkes been noght wisest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/the-gretteste-clerkes-been-noght-wisest-men/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [Jed Diamond is, quite simply, one of the wisest men writing today on the topic of male emotional and physical health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gurian/jed-diamond-is-quite-simply-one-of-the-wisest-men-writing-today-on/) [Michael Gurian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gurian/) > [The reading of books, what is it but conversing with the wisest men of all ages and all countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-barrow/the-reading-of-books-what-is-it-but-conversing-with-the-wisest-men-of/) [Isaac Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-barrow/) > [A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.This was said by gene wilder ... what does it mean ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/a-little-nonsense-now-and-then-is-relished-by-the-wisest-men-this-was/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [Judgment of the people is often wiser than the wisest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lajos-kossuth/judgment-of-the-people-is-often-wiser-than-the-wisest-men/) [Lajos Kossuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lajos-kossuth/) > [If travel were so inspiring and informing a business ... then the wisest men in the world would be deck hands on tramp steamers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/if-travel-were-so-inspiring-and-informing-a-business-then-the-wisest/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [Any fool can see the limits of seeing, but not even the wisest know the limits of knowing. 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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 Fool quotes > [Do I look like a fool to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/do-i-look-like-a-fool-to-you/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. 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