Artifice Quote by Jean de la Bruyere
“Dissimulation, even the most innocent in its nature, is ever productive of embarrassment; whether the design is evil or not artifice is always dangerous and almost inevitably disgraceful.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Maximes, Jean de la Bruyere, 1688
Pretending to be virtuous often leads to embarrassment; artificiality is dangerous and can cause disgrace.
In simple terms: Fakery causes shame; authenticity matters.
Key Takeaway
Choose sincerity over pretense.
Themes
authenticity
embarrassment
deception
virtue
society
Mood
cautionary
reflective
Type
moral
philosophical
When to use this quote
- professional settings
- personal relationships
- public speaking
Key Concepts
ethics
social behavior
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you felt compelled to hide your true self?
- What are the costs of maintaining a façade?
A Different Perspective
Sincerity may be socially risky.
![“The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. [Fr., La cour est comme un edifice bati de marbre; je veux dire qu'elle est composee d'hommes fort durs mais fort polis.]” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fcf/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_built_the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marb_77288.jpg)
