--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The passions possess a certain injustice…" description: "\"The passions possess a certain injustice and self interest which makes it dangerous to follow them, and in reality we should distrust them even when th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_certain_the-passions-possess-a-certain-injustice_401505.png" --- # The passions possess a certain injustice and self interest… ![“The passions possess a certain injustice and self interest which makes it dangerous to follow them, and in reality we should distrust them even when they appear most trustworthy.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_certain_the-passions-possess-a-certain-injustice_401505.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_certain_the-passions-possess-a-certain-injustice_401505.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_certain_the-passions-possess-a-certain-injustice_401505.png) > “The passions possess a certain injustice and self interest which makes it dangerous to follow them, and in reality we should distrust them even when they appear most trustworthy.” [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. Passions are selfish and deceptive, so they should be distrusted even when they seem trustworthy. **In simple terms:** Passions are self‑interested and can be misleading. Key Takeaway Question and temper emotional impulses. Themes human nature self‑interest trust philosophy Mood cautious skeptical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts moral psychology ethical skepticism self‑control Questions to Reflect On - When can passions be a force for good? - How to balance reason and feeling? A Different Perspective Emotions can also inspire positive action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appear Trustworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appear-trustworthy-3599129/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Certain Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-injustice-2749839/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Distrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distrust/) [Distrust Appear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distrust-appear-3599127/) [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reality Distrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality-distrust-3599128/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-interest/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Trustworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trustworthy/) ## Related quotes > [Uncertain justice by a verdict is much better than certain injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/uncertain-justice-by-a-verdict-is-much-better-than-certain-injustice/) [William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/) > [I very much admire Sheryl Sandberg for what she has done. I really do. But Sandberg's narrative also implies: "Well, it's your fault if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-marie-slaughter/i-very-much-admire-sheryl-sandberg-for-what-she-has-done-i-really-do/) [Anne-Marie Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-marie-slaughter/) > [“Masses of men will almost feel that a certain amount of injustice ought to be inflicted on their betters, so as to make things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/masses-of-men-will-almost-feel-that-a-certain-amount-of-injustice/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [“A corrupt judge Presides over Certain injustice”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-l-graham/a-corrupt-judge-presides-over-certain-injustice/) [Patricia L. Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-l-graham/) > [The name and pretense of virtue is as serviceable to self-interest as are real vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-name-and-pretense-of-virtue-is-as-serviceable-to-self-interest-as/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [That good disposition which boasts of being most tender is often stifled by the least urging of self-interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/that-good-disposition-which-boasts-of-being-most-tender-is-often/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We do not like to praise, and seldom praise anyone without self-interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-do-not-like-to-praise-and-seldom-praise-anyone-without-self/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Self-interest speaks all manner of tongues and plays all manner of parts, even that of disinterestedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/self-interest-speaks-all-manner-of-tongues-and-plays-all-manner-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The word virtue is as useful to self-interest as the vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-word-virtue-is-as-useful-to-self-interest-as-the-vices/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Virtues lose themselves in self-interest, as rivers in the sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/virtues-lose-themselves-in-self-interest-as-rivers-in-the-sea/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Whatever pretended causes we may blame our afflictions upon, it is often nothing but self-interest and vanity that produce them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/whatever-pretended-causes-we-may-blame-our-afflictions-upon-it-is/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Self-interest makes some people blind, and others sharp-sighted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/self-interest-makes-some-people-blind-and-others-sharp-sighted/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Loyalty is in most people only a ruse used by self-interest to attract confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/loyalty-is-in-most-people-only-a-ruse-used-by-self-interest-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Strong trust is built brick by brick, through honesty, consistency, and showing up even when it’s hard to keep the promise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayoub-imilouane/strong-trust-is-built-brick-by-brick-through-honesty-consistency-and/) [Ayoub Imilouane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayoub-imilouane/) > [Is it a coincidence that stories from the private life became more popular just as the grand hope for public redemption through revolution was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/is-it-a-coincidence-that-stories-from-the-private-life-became-more/) [Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/) ## 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 Certain quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. 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