---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those whom the world has delighted to…"
description: "\"Those whom the world has delighted to honor have oftener been influenced in their doings by ambition and vanity than by patriotism.\" — Francois de La R..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ambition_those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-ho_1608018.png"
---

#  Those whom the world has delighted to honor have oftener…

![“Those whom the world has delighted to honor have oftener been influenced in their doings by ambition and vanity than by patriotism.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ambition_those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-ho_1608018.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ambition_those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-ho_1608018.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ambition_those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-ho_1608018.png)

> “Those whom the world has delighted to honor have oftener been influenced in their doings by ambition and vanity than by patriotism.”

[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 pursue honor for personal gain rather than genuine patriotism.

**In simple terms:** Ambition drives many honors.

Key Takeaway

Question motives behind seeking honor.

Themes

ambition patriotism honor

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical maxim

When to use this quote

- political careers
- military service
- public recognition
- award ceremonies

Key Concepts

ethics political psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives your desire for recognition?
- Can honor be both self‑serving and noble?

A Different Perspective

Patriotic sentiment can be sincere despite self‑interest.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-vanity-4800819/) [Delighted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delighted/) [Doings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doings/) [Heroism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroism/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Influenced Doings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influenced-doings-6127515/) [Oftener Influenced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oftener-influenced-6127516/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Vanity Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity-patriotism-6127514/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [Ambition is only vanity ennobled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/ambition-is-only-vanity-ennobled/)

[Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/)

> [“The great are deceived if they imagine they have appropriated ambition and vanity to themselves. These notable qualities flourish as notably in a country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/the-great-are-deceived-if-they-imagine-they-have-appropriated/)

[Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/)

> [Take away ambition and vanity, and where will be your heroes and patriots?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where-will-be-your-heroes-and/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [I wondered what it does to each of us to spend the majority of our waking hours doings things we'd rather not do, wishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/i-wondered-what-it-does-to-each-of-us-to-spend-the-majority-of-our/)

[Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/)

> [“We have become human “doings” rather than human “beings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-breen/we-have-become-human-doings-rather-than-human-beings/)

[Mike Breen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-breen/)

> [Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, and the LORD will repent of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah/now-therefore-amend-your-ways-and-your-doings-and-obey-the-voice-of/)

[Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah/)

> [You know what I did this morning? I played the voice of a toy. Some terrible robot toys from Japan that changed from one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/you-know-what-i-did-this-morning-i-played-the-voice-of-a-toy-some/)

[Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/)

> [I don't want any production credit. I think producers are overrated. They're for people who, first of all, don't know anything about music or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/i-don-t-want-any-production-credit-i-think-producers-are-overrated/)

[Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/)

> [Almost any tale of our doings is comic. We are bottomlessly comic to each other. Even the most adored and beloved person is comic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/almost-any-tale-of-our-doings-is-comic-we-are-bottomlessly-comic-to/)

[Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/)

> [The two greatest fear busters are knowledge and action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/the-two-greatest-fear-busters-are-knowledge-and-action/)

[Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/)

> [Your own acts tell the world who you are and what kind of society you think it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/your-own-acts-tell-the-world-who-you-are-and-what-kind-of-society-you/)

[Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/)

> [She had always been a reader… but now she was obsessed. Since her discovery of the book hoard downstairs from her job, she’d been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/she-had-always-been-a-reader-but-now-she-was-obsessed-since-her/)

[Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/)

> [Men use thought only to justify their wrong doings, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/men-use-thought-only-to-justify-their-wrong-doings-and-employ-speech/)

[Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/)

> [If you are to go to Christ, do not put on your good doings and feelings, or you will get nothing. Go in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-you-are-to-go-to-christ-do-not-put-on-your-good-doings-and/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

## 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 Ambition quotes

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/)

[Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/)

> [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/)

[Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/)

> [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/)

[Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/)

> [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/)

[Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/)

> [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/)

[Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/)

> [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/)

[Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/)

> [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/)

[Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/)

> [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/)

[London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/)

> [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/)

[Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/)

[Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Those whom the world has delighted to honor have oftener been influenced in their doings by ambition and vanity than by patriotism.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-honor-have-oftener-been/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ambition"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-honor-have-oftener-been/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ambition_those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-ho_1608018.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ambition_those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-ho_1608018.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ambition_those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-ho_1608018.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Those whom the world has delighted to honor have oftener been influenced in their doings by ambition and…” — 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": "Those whom the world has delighted...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-honor-have-oftener-been/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-honor-have-oftener-been/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```