--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men are such dupes by choice, that he who…" description: "\"Men are such dupes by choice, that he who would impose upon others never need be at a loss to find ready victims.\" — Honore de Balzac" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/honor-de-balzac-197_choices_men-are-such-dupes-by-choice-that-he-who_1748030.png" --- # Men are such dupes by choice, that he who would impose… ![“Men are such dupes by choice, that he who would impose upon others never need be at a loss to find ready victims.” quote by Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/honor-de-balzac-197_choices_men-are-such-dupes-by-choice-that-he-who_1748030.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/honor-de-balzac-197_choices_men-are-such-dupes-by-choice-that-he-who_1748030.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/honor-de-balzac-197_choices_men-are-such-dupes-by-choice-that-he-who_1748030.png) > “Men are such dupes by choice, that he who would impose upon others never need be at a loss to find ready victims.” [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People are easily manipulated when they willingly accept deception, allowing exploiters to find victims without effort. **In simple terms:** People accept deception, enabling manipulators to find victims easily. Key Takeaway Beware of willingly accepting deception. Themes manipulation trust exploitation Mood cautious skeptical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - political campaigns - marketing scams - personal relationships - online fraud Key Concepts psychology social influence Questions to Reflect On - Why do we accept deception? - How can we protect ourselves from manipulators? A Different Perspective Even when aware, people may still be duped by appealing narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Deceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceit/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) [Victims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victims/) ## Related quotes > [People would not long remain in social life if they were not the dupes of each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/people-would-not-long-remain-in-social-life-if-they-were-not-the/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A man's own vanity is a swindler that never lacks for a dupe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/a-man-s-own-vanity-is-a-swindler-that-never-lacks-for-a-dupe/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Women are ever the dupes or the victims of their extreme sensitiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/women-are-ever-the-dupes-or-the-victims-of-their-extreme-sensitiveness/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [True love is mixed up with birdlike squabbles, in which the disputants wound each other to the quick; but a quarrel without animus is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/true-love-is-mixed-up-with-birdlike-squabbles-in-which-the-disputants/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The greatest joy a petty soul can taste is to dupe a great soul and catch it in a snare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-greatest-joy-a-petty-soul-can-taste-is-to-dupe-a-great-soul-and/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [How fondly swindlers coddle their dupes! No mother is as caressing or thoughtful towards her adored child as a merchant in hypocrisy toward his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/how-fondly-swindlers-coddle-their-dupes-no-mother-is-as-caressing-or/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Let nothing dupe you! Such is the horrible maxim that acts as a solvent upon every noble feeling man experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/let-nothing-dupe-you-such-is-the-horrible-maxim-that-acts-as-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Neither the passions not justice nor politics nor the great social forces ever consider the victims they strike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/neither-the-passions-not-justice-nor-politics-nor-the-great-social/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [In Paris, when certain people see you ready to set your foot in the stirrup, some pull your coat-tails, others loosen the buckle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/in-paris-when-certain-people-see-you-ready-to-set-your-foot-in-the/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [A woman's sentimental monkeyshines will always deceive her lover, who invariably waxes ecstatic where her husband necessarily shrugs his shoulders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/a-woman-s-sentimental-monkeyshines-will-always-deceive-her-lover-who/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Ratings agencies are highly conflicted, unimaginative dupes. They are blissfully unaware of adverse selection and moral hazard. Investors should never trust them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/ratings-agencies-are-highly-conflicted-unimaginative-dupes-they-are/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [The human heart has so many crannies where vanity hides, so many holes where falsehood works, is so decked out with deceiving hypocrisy, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-human-heart-has-so-many-crannies-where-vanity-hides-so-many-holes/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The bonds between ourselves and another person exists only in our minds. Memory as it grows fainter loosens them, and notwithstanding the illusion by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-bonds-between-ourselves-and-another-person-exists-only-in-our/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Pessimists fear becoming the dupes of Hope. Optimists enjoy Hope's company, and consider being duped no great matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/pessimists-fear-becoming-the-dupes-of-hope-optimists-enjoy-hope-s/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [A forward critic often dupes us With sham quotations peri hupsos, And if we have not read Longinus, Will magisterially outshine us. Then, lest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-forward-critic-often-dupes-us-with-sham-quotations-peri-hupsos-and/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) ## More by Honore de Balzac > [“Oh, my friend, when you love, love a woman whom you are sure that you can love always. Never forsake a woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/oh-my-friend-when-you-love-love-a-woman-whom-you-are-sure-that-you/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“You have broken the ice, though you have not even scratched its glossy surface: you have placed your hand upon the croup of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/you-have-broken-the-ice-though-you-have-not-even-scratched-its-glossy/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [In a world of hunchbacks, a fine figure becomes a monstrosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/in-a-world-of-hunchbacks-a-fine-figure-becomes-a-monstrosity/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [It is quite right what they say: the three most beautiful sights in the world are a ship in full sail, a galloping horse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/it-is-quite-right-what-they-say-the-three-most-beautiful-sights-in/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [My writing table has seen all my wretchedness, knows all my plans, has overheard all my thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/my-writing-table-has-seen-all-my-wretchedness-knows-all-my-plans-has/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Foppery, being the chronic condition of women, is not so much noticed as it is when it breaks out on the person of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/foppery-being-the-chronic-condition-of-women-is-not-so-much-noticed/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [A married woman is a slave you must know how to seat upon a throne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/a-married-woman-is-a-slave-you-must-know-how-to-seat-upon-a-throne/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. When they see a masterpiece, they must needs at one glance recognize some flaw to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/rich-men-are-resolved-to-be-astonished-at-nothing-when-they-see-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [I am a galley slave to pen and ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/i-am-a-galley-slave-to-pen-and-ink/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [One can imagine the look the two lovers exchanged; it was like a flame, for virtuous lovers have not a shred of hypocrisy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/one-can-imagine-the-look-the-two-lovers-exchanged-it-was-like-a-flame/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All men can bear a familiar, definite misfortune better than the cruel alternations of a fate which, from one moment to another, brings excessive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-men-can-bear-a-familiar-definite-misfortune-better-than-the-cruel/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The mind, too, has its regimen. It needs gymnastics, just like the body does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-mind-too-has-its-regimen-it-needs-gymnastics-just-like-the-body/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Hatred like love feeds on the merest trifles. Everything adds to it. Just as the being we love can do no wrong, so the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/hatred-like-love-feeds-on-the-merest-trifles-everything-adds-to-it/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All human power is a compound of time and patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-human-power-is-a-compound-of-time-and-patience/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) [Explore all 793 Honore de Balzac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Men are such dupes by choice, that he who would impose upon others never need be at a loss to find ready victims.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Honore de Balzac" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/men-are-such-dupes-by-choice-that-he-who-would-impose-upon-others/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/men-are-such-dupes-by-choice-that-he-who-would-impose-upon-others/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/honor-de-balzac-197_choices_men-are-such-dupes-by-choice-that-he-who_1748030.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/honor-de-balzac-197_choices_men-are-such-dupes-by-choice-that-he-who_1748030.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/honor-de-balzac-197_choices_men-are-such-dupes-by-choice-that-he-who_1748030.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Men are such dupes by choice, that he who would impose upon others never need be at a loss to find ready…” — Honore de Balzac", "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": "Honore de Balzac", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Men are such dupes by choice,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/men-are-such-dupes-by-choice-that-he-who-would-impose-upon-others/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/men-are-such-dupes-by-choice-that-he-who-would-impose-upon-others/#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 } } ] } ```