---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are much mistaken if we think that men…"
description: "\"We are much mistaken if we think that men are always brave from a principle of valor, or women chaste from a principle of modesty.\" — Francois de La Ro..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_brave_we-are-much-mistaken-if-we-think-that-me_790610.png"
---

#  We are much mistaken if we think that men are always brave…

![“We are much mistaken if we think that men are always brave from a principle of valor, or women chaste from a principle of modesty.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_brave_we-are-much-mistaken-if-we-think-that-me_790610.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_brave_we-are-much-mistaken-if-we-think-that-me_790610.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_brave_we-are-much-mistaken-if-we-think-that-me_790610.png)

> “We are much mistaken if we think that men are always brave from a principle of valor, or women chaste from a principle of modesty.”

[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 misjudge bravery and chastity as inherent virtues, ignoring situational influences and personal motives.

**In simple terms:** Bravery and chastity are not always innate.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions about virtue.

Themes

virtue gender perception human nature

Mood

critical philosophical

Type

reflective contemplative

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- leadership decisions
- ethical debates
- cultural analysis

Key Concepts

moral psychology social expectations historical context

Questions to Reflect On

- What social factors shape our view of courage?
- How do gender norms affect moral judgments?

A Different Perspective

Virtue can be context‑dependent.

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[Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Bravery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bravery/) [Chaste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chaste/) [Chastity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chastity/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Modesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modesty/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Valor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valor/)

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> [It is not always from valor or from chastity that men are brave, and women chaste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-not-always-from-valor-or-from-chastity-that-men-are-brave-and/)

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> [Vanity, shame, and above all disposition, often make men brave and women chaste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/vanity-shame-and-above-all-disposition-often-make-men-brave-and-women/)

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> [What we take for virtue is often but an assemblage of various ambitions and activities that chance, or our own astuteness, have arranged in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/what-we-take-for-virtue-is-often-but-an-assemblage-of-various/)

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> [“I don't think men ever grow out of their little boy games. They mature and find ways to make you not care or forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-loren/i-don-t-think-men-ever-grow-out-of-their-little-boy-games-they-mature/)

[Jennifer Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-loren/)

> [Women spend more time thinking about what men think, then men spend thinking!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/women-spend-more-time-thinking-about-what-men-think-then-men-spend/)

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

> [I think the men in L.A. are very rugged, good-looking. Men in New York look metro with their manis and pedis and their Bruno…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-stanger/i-think-the-men-in-l-a-are-very-rugged-good-looking-men-in-new-york/)

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> [All women think men look good in suits. To be honest, I like the way they look, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/all-women-think-men-look-good-in-suits-to-be-honest-i-like-the-way/)

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> [If women think all men are the same, then why do they worry so much about picking the right one :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/if-women-think-all-men-are-the-same-then-why-do-they-worry-so-much/)

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> [“I can’t think why men would believe that it is a better world where something beautiful is destroyed and something broken left in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-can-t-think-why-men-would-believe-that-it-is-a-better-world-where/)

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[Jennifer Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-coolidge/)

> [“I think men think about their penises as much as women think about molestation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-leigh-stewart/i-think-men-think-about-their-penises-as-much-as-women-think-about/)

[Christy Leigh Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-leigh-stewart/)

## 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/)

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> [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/)

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> [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/)

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