--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we were faultless, we should not be so…" description: "\"If we were faultless, we should not be so much annoyed by the defects of those with whom we associate. If we were to acknowledge honestly that we have ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/francois-fenelon-2077_acknowledge_if-we-were-faultless-we-should-not-be-so_2271794.png" --- # If we were faultless, we should not be so much annoyed by… ![“If we were faultless, we should not be so much annoyed by the defects of those with whom we associate. If we were to acknowledge honestly that we have not virtue enough to bear patiently with our neighbor's weaknesses, we should show our own imperfection, and this alarms our vanity.” quote by Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/francois-fenelon-2077_acknowledge_if-we-were-faultless-we-should-not-be-so_2271794.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/francois-fenelon-2077_acknowledge_if-we-were-faultless-we-should-not-be-so_2271794.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/francois-fenelon-2077_acknowledge_if-we-were-faultless-we-should-not-be-so_2271794.png) > “If we were faultless, we should not be so much annoyed by the defects of those with whom we associate. If we were to acknowledge honestly that we have not virtue enough to bear patiently with our neighbor's weaknesses, we should show our own imperfection, and this alarms our vanity.” [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing our own flaws reduces judgment of others and curbs pride. **In simple terms:** Seeing our own faults lessens criticism of others. Key Takeaway Acknowledge personal imperfection. Themes humility self-awareness judgment Mood reflective calm Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - workplace interactions - friendships - family gatherings - community groups Key Concepts virtue vanity empathy Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice humility when others err? - What habits reveal your own imperfections? A Different Perspective People may resist admitting flaws, leading to defensiveness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Defects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defects/) [Imperfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfection/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [The youth who, like a woman, loves to adorn his person, has renounced all claim to wisdom and to glory; glory is due to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/the-youth-who-like-a-woman-loves-to-adorn-his-person-has-renounced/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [If we were faultless we should not be so much annoyed by the defects of those with whom we associate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/if-we-were-faultless-we-should-not-be-so-much-annoyed-by-the-defects/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [When I see a new face, something sets off an alarm bell inside me. 'slow down! Danger!' 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The hand will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-allston/it-is-a-hard-matter-for-a-man-to-lie-all-over-nature-having-provided/) [Washington Allston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-allston/) > [Here in the UK the audience immediately reacts and they get the fact that: "What would be the most annoying thing in the world?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/here-in-the-uk-the-audience-immediately-reacts-and-they-get-the-fact/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [There's a statement from several members of the Senate, both Democrats and Republicans, including the Democratic leader, Charles Schumer; John McCain, the chair of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephanopoulos/there-s-a-statement-from-several-members-of-the-senate-both-democrats/) [George Stephanopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephanopoulos/) > [Were the life of man prolonged, he would become such a proficient in villainy, that it would become necessary again to drown or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-the-life-of-man-prolonged-he-would-become-such-a-proficient-in/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## More by Francois Fenelon > [There is no real elevation of mind in a contempt of little things; it is, on the contrary, from too narrow views that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/there-is-no-real-elevation-of-mind-in-a-contempt-of-little-things-it/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [“If the riches of the Indies, or the crowns of all the kingdom of Europe, were laid at my feet in exchange for my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/if-the-riches-of-the-indies-or-the-crowns-of-all-the-kingdom-of/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [That love of self, which the world advocates, is a thousand times more dangerous than any poison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/that-love-of-self-which-the-world-advocates-is-a-thousand-times-more/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [There were some who said that a man at the point of death was more free than all others, because death breaks every bond,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/there-were-some-who-said-that-a-man-at-the-point-of-death-was-more/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [Pity enlarges the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/pity-enlarges-the-heart/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [A general rule for the good use of time is to accustom oneself to live in a continual dependence on the Spirit of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/a-general-rule-for-the-good-use-of-time-is-to-accustom-oneself-to/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [Nothing is more despicable than a professional talker who uses his words as a quack uses his remedies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/nothing-is-more-despicable-than-a-professional-talker-who-uses-his/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [Prayer is so necessary, and the source of so many blessings, that he who has discovered the treasure cannot be prevented from having recourse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/prayer-is-so-necessary-and-the-source-of-so-many-blessings-that-he/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [There is no true and constant gentleness without humility. 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