--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The virtues and vices are all put in…" description: "\"The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_the-virtues-and-vices-are-all-put-in-mot_1624677.png" --- # The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest. ![“The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_the-virtues-and-vices-are-all-put-in-mot_1624677.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_the-virtues-and-vices-are-all-put-in-mot_1624677.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_the-virtues-and-vices-are-all-put-in-mot_1624677.png) > “The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest.” [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. Interest drives both virtues and vices, putting them into motion. **In simple terms:** Interest motivates good and bad actions. Key Takeaway Beware of self‑interest. Themes ethics human nature motivation philosophy Mood reflective philosophical Type maxim advice When to use this quote - Business decisions - personal relationships - political leadership Key Concepts Self‑interest virtue theory moral psychology Questions to Reflect On - When does interest become harmful? - Can virtue exist without interest? A Different Perspective Interest can corrupt; not all motives are selfish. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Motion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motion/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Vices Motion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices-motion-319718/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues/) [Virtues Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues-vices-319717/) ## Related quotes > [The impression that you are a demigod worried me. I wanted to be like an ordinary human being with virtues and vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-impression-that-you-are-a-demigod-worried-me-i-wanted-to-be-like/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Fortune makes our virtues and vices visible, just as light does the objects of sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/fortune-makes-our-virtues-and-vices-visible-just-as-light-does-the/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Nature seems at each man's birth to have marked out the bounds of his virtues and vices, and to have determined how good or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/nature-seems-at-each-man-s-birth-to-have-marked-out-the-bounds-of-his/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Our virtues are most often but our vices disguised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-virtues-are-most-often-but-our-vices-disguised/) [François De La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Virtues and vices, pleasures and pains cross boundaries at will”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/virtues-and-vices-pleasures-and-pains-cross-boundaries-at-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Live by old Ethicks and the classical Rules of Honesty. Put no new names or notions upon Authentick Virtues and Vices. Think not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-browne/live-by-old-ethicks-and-the-classical-rules-of-honesty-put-no-new/) [Sir Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-browne/) > [High fortune makes both our virtues and vices stand out as objects that are brought clearly to view by the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/high-fortune-makes-both-our-virtues-and-vices-stand-out-as-objects/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We are more inclined to regret our virtues than our vices; but only the very honest will admit this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holbrook-jackson/we-are-more-inclined-to-regret-our-virtues-than-our-vices-but-only/) [Holbrook Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holbrook-jackson/) > [Men have their virtues and their vices, their heroisms and their perversities; men are neither wholly good nor wholly bad, but possess and practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/men-have-their-virtues-and-their-vices-their-heroisms-and-their/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Animals are nothing but the portrayal of our virtues and vices made manifest to our eyes, the visible reflections of our souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/animals-are-nothing-but-the-portrayal-of-our-virtues-and-vices-made/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself-it-is-often-the-mother-of/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [Character is the sum of one's good habits (virtues) and bad habits (vices). These habits mark us and affect the ways in which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lickona/character-is-the-sum-of-one-s-good-habits-virtues-and-bad-habits/) [Thomas Lickona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lickona/) > [Could we forbear dispute, and practice love, We should agree as angels do above. Where love presides, not vice alone does find, No entrance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-waller/could-we-forbear-dispute-and-practice-love-we-should-agree-as-angels/) [Edmund Waller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-waller/) > [Vices are ingredients of virtues just as poisons are ingredients of remedies. Prudence mixes and tempers them and uses them effectively against life's ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/vices-are-ingredients-of-virtues-just-as-poisons-are-ingredients-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Fundamental disposition towards others, assuming the character either of Envy or of Sympathy, is the point at which the moral virtues and vices of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/fundamental-disposition-towards-others-assuming-the-character-either/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) ## 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 Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-virtues-and-vices-are-all-put-in-motion-by-interest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-virtues-and-vices-are-all-put-in-motion-by-interest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_the-virtues-and-vices-are-all-put-in-mot_1624677.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_the-virtues-and-vices-are-all-put-in-mot_1624677.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_the-virtues-and-vices-are-all-put-in-mot_1624677.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest.” — 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": "The virtues and vices are all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-virtues-and-vices-are-all-put-in-motion-by-interest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-virtues-and-vices-are-all-put-in-motion-by-interest/#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 } } ] } ```