--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What makes us so bitter against people…" description: "\"What makes us so bitter against people who outwit us is that they think themselves cleverer than we are.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_bitter_what-makes-us-so-bitter-against-people-w_738755.png" --- # What makes us so bitter against people who outwit us is… ![“What makes us so bitter against people who outwit us is that they think themselves cleverer than we are.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_bitter_what-makes-us-so-bitter-against-people-w_738755.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_bitter_what-makes-us-so-bitter-against-people-w_738755.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_bitter_what-makes-us-so-bitter-against-people-w_738755.png) > “What makes us so bitter against people who outwit us is that they think themselves cleverer than we are.” [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. Jealousy and bitterness arise when we feel outsmarted, revealing insecurity about our own cleverness. **In simple terms:** We feel bitter when others seem smarter than us. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility and self‑confidence. Themes jealousy insecurity intelligence pride Mood critical insightful Type aphilosophical moral When to use this quote - workplace competition - academic settings - social media debates Key Concepts philosophy social psychology ego theory Questions to Reflect On - What triggers feelings of being outwitted? - How can we transform envy into growth? A Different Perspective Bitterness can also motivate self‑improvement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitter/) [Bitter people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitter-people/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Outwit Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outwit-think-5772237/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Outwit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-outwit-5772238/) [Think Cleverer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-cleverer-3590206/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [The reason we bitterly hate those who deceive us is because they think they are cleverer than we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-reason-we-bitterly-hate-those-who-deceive-us-is-because-they/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [You've got a degree in philosophy; so you think you're cleverer than me. But I'm not just some drama queen. Cause it's where you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-winehouse/you-ve-got-a-degree-in-philosophy-so-you-think-you-re-cleverer-than/) [Amy Winehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-winehouse/) > [ Ever since \[Donald\]Trump has been opening his big mouth, you're seeing all these bitter people, latent racists who are becoming emboldened. You're seeing some… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/ever-since-donald-trump-has-been-opening-his-big-mouth-you-re-seeing/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I laugh at bitter people. The facial muscles on bitter people must be stiff all the time...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-laugh-at-bitter-people-the-facial-muscles-on-bitter-people-must-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of the time, the British press make me ashamed and embarrassed to be British. They give others the impression that the British…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-chisholm/a-lot-of-the-time-the-british-press-make-me-ashamed-and-embarrassed/) [Melanie Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-chisholm/) > [In Canada I'm not dealing with people who are bringing in baggage, they just get it. But New Orleans will be a bit different.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/in-canada-i-m-not-dealing-with-people-who-are-bringing-in-baggage/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“Bitter people are not interested in what you say, but what you hide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/bitter-people-are-not-interested-in-what-you-say-but-what-you-hide/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [The problem is that many bitter people don't know they are bitter. since they are so convinced that they are right, they can't see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/the-problem-is-that-many-bitter-people-don-t-know-they-are-bitter/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [If conservatives don't want to be seen as bitter people who cling to their guns and religion and anti-immigrant sentiments, they should stop being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-conservatives-don-t-want-to-be-seen-as-bitter-people-who-cling-to/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Bitter People Change for the BETTER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-monterde/bitter-people-change-for-the-better/) [Dexter Monterde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-monterde/) > [Bitter people will get bitter reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bitter-people-will-get-bitter-reaction/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are movie sites that love movies and there are movie sites that are just bitter people that just hate movies. I find Movieline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/there-are-movie-sites-that-love-movies-and-there-are-movie-sites-that/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [“People think that forgiveness is for the person who wronged you, but it's not. Because when we allow things to bottle up inside of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-miller/people-think-that-forgiveness-is-for-the-person-who-wronged-you-but/) [Vanessa Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-miller/) > [“When criticism doesn't make sense, it is usually coming from a different place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/when-criticism-doesn-t-make-sense-it-is-usually-coming-from-a/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Our secrets make us sick because they separate us from other people. Keep us alone. Turn us into fearful, angry, bitter people. Turn us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/our-secrets-make-us-sick-because-they-separate-us-from-other-people/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) ## 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 Bitter quotes > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. The smell of coalsmoke in the air at night. Old times, dead years. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-cooler-days-have-brought-a-wistful-mood-upon-him-the-smell-of/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Troy was a sweet, good man. We just were never destined to be married. We just didn't have the same values. But I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-pleshette/troy-was-a-sweet-good-man-we-just-were-never-destined-to-be-married/) [Suzanne Pleshette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-pleshette/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [One may have been a fool, but there's no foolishness like being bitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-norris/one-may-have-been-a-fool-but-there-s-no-foolishness-like-being-bitter/) [Kathleen Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-norris/) > [“I doubt taking in a sullen, bitter, teenage girl with more issues than National Geographic is at the center of the vision board for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katja-millay/i-doubt-taking-in-a-sullen-bitter-teenage-girl-with-more-issues-than/) [Katja Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katja-millay/) > [Tireless passion, fierce jealousy, longing to possess and crush-these alone were left of all his love for Rosalind; these remained to him as payment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/tireless-passion-fierce-jealousy-longing-to-possess-and-crush-these/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Life is too bitter already, without territories and wars and noble feuds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-too-bitter-already-without-territories-and-wars-and-noble/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With every interview you feel like you lose a piece of yourself, and with every bad review you become just that little bit more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-march/with-every-interview-you-feel-like-you-lose-a-piece-of-yourself-and/) [Jane March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-march/) > [“Without the bitter, the sweet ain’t as sweet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/without-the-bitter-the-sweet-ain-t-as-sweet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I refuse to be one of those artists who, 10 years from now, they're bitter about the rise and the fall of their career.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-refuse-to-be-one-of-those-artists-who-10-years-from-now-they-re/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [“In these days in which we live, when existence has become a thing of infinite complexity and fate, if it slips us a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/in-these-days-in-which-we-live-when-existence-has-become-a-thing-of/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary love. For a cup brimful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/if-a-sudden-jar-can-cause-me-to-speak-an-impatient-unloving-word-then/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) [Browse all 1,923 Bitter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What makes us so bitter against people who outwit us is that they think themselves cleverer than we are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/what-makes-us-so-bitter-against-people-who-outwit-us-is-that-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bitter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/what-makes-us-so-bitter-against-people-who-outwit-us-is-that-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_bitter_what-makes-us-so-bitter-against-people-w_738755.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_bitter_what-makes-us-so-bitter-against-people-w_738755.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83c/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_bitter_what-makes-us-so-bitter-against-people-w_738755.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What makes us so bitter against people who outwit us is that they think themselves cleverer than we are.” — 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": "What makes us so bitter against...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/what-makes-us-so-bitter-against-people-who-outwit-us-is-that-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/what-makes-us-so-bitter-against-people-who-outwit-us-is-that-they/#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 } } ] } ```