--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dissimulation, even the most innocent in…" description: "\"Dissimulation, even the most innocent in its nature, is ever productive of embarrassment; whether the design is evil or not artifice is always dangerou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/269/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_artifice_dissimulation-even-the-most-innocent-in_673032.png" --- # Dissimulation, even the most innocent in its nature, is… ![“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.” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/269/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_artifice_dissimulation-even-the-most-innocent-in_673032.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/269/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_artifice_dissimulation-even-the-most-innocent-in_673032.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/269/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_artifice_dissimulation-even-the-most-innocent-in_673032.png) > “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.” [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Embarrassment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassment/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) ## Related quotes > [It's disgraceful that year after year, Congress has bowed to the tobacco lobby and refused to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/it-s-disgraceful-that-year-after-year-congress-has-bowed-to-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [As to adultery, let it be held disgraceful, in general, for any man or woman to be found in any way unfaithful when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/as-to-adultery-let-it-be-held-disgraceful-in-general-for-any-man-or/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [If the players aren't getting paid, there's something terribly, terribly wrong, and that's true only in the United States. Everywhere else, where money is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/if-the-players-aren-t-getting-paid-there-s-something-terribly/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [I have never been able to discover anything disgraceful in being a colored man. But I have often found it inconvenient - in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-williams/i-have-never-been-able-to-discover-anything-disgraceful-in-being-a/) [Bert Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-williams/) > [What's disgraceful is that any Tom, Dick and Harry can open up a clinic and administer Botox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-solomon/what-s-disgraceful-is-that-any-tom-dick-and-harry-can-open-up-a/) [Stacey Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-solomon/) > [You cannot disgrace a disgraceful man; you cannot make a shameless man feel ashamed; you cannot make a cockroach a cockroach, because it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/you-cannot-disgrace-a-disgraceful-man-you-cannot-make-a-shameless-man/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“It is too true, however disgraceful it may be to human nature, that nations in general will make war whenever they have a prospect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jay/it-is-too-true-however-disgraceful-it-may-be-to-human-nature-that/) [John Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jay/) > [Our mandate in Habitat for Humanity is to work diligently to help bring into being graceful communities, towns, and cities. his is so important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millard-fuller/our-mandate-in-habitat-for-humanity-is-to-work-diligently-to-help/) [Millard Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millard-fuller/) > [It is a most disgraceful shame the way in which Irishmen are brought up. They are ashamed of their language, institutions, and of everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-hyde/it-is-a-most-disgraceful-shame-the-way-in-which-irishmen-are-brought/) [Douglas Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-hyde/) > [The Cold War in Africa is one of the darkest, most disgraceful pages in contemporary history, and everybody ought to be ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryszard-kapuscinski/the-cold-war-in-africa-is-one-of-the-darkest-most-disgraceful-pages/) [Ryszard Kapuscinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryszard-kapuscinski/) > [Lying is a disgraceful vice, and one that Plutarch paints in most disgraceful colors, when he says that it is "affording testimony that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/lying-is-a-disgraceful-vice-and-one-that-plutarch-paints-in-most/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“Justin Lazarus was without question a disgraceful fraud, but as his lips moved in silent prayer, Nathaniel could not help the thought that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-charles/justin-lazarus-was-without-question-a-disgraceful-fraud-but-as-his/) [K.J. Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-charles/) > [I think it is disgraceful. I think it is completely disgusting that you've got a candidate for prime minster who seems to think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/i-think-it-is-disgraceful-i-think-it-is-completely-disgusting-that/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [Film study was considered disgraceful by my father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/film-study-was-considered-disgraceful-by-my-father/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [Mediocre people often have a tinge of religion about them, but it is only a tinge. They take their religion as it comes. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-dubay/mediocre-people-often-have-a-tinge-of-religion-about-them-but-it-is/) [Thomas Dubay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-dubay/) ## More by Jean de la Bruyere > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The unfaithful woman, if she is known for such by the person concerned, is only unfaithful. If she is thought faithful, she is perfidious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-unfaithful-woman-if-she-is-known-for-such-by-the-person-concerned/) [Jean De La Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Some people pretend they never were in love and never wrote poetry; two weaknesses which they dare not own -- one of the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/some-people-pretend-they-never-were-in-love-and-never-wrote-poetry/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [How much wit, good-nature, indulgences, how many good offices and civilities, are required among friends to accomplish in some years what a lovely face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-much-wit-good-nature-indulgences-how-many-good-offices-and/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A man starts upon a sudden, takes Pen, Ink, and Paper, and without ever having had a thought of it before, resolves within himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-starts-upon-a-sudden-takes-pen-ink-and-paper-and-without-ever/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Born merely for the purpose of digestion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/born-merely-for-the-purpose-of-digestion/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A man of variable mind is not one man, but several men in one; he multiplies himself as often as he changes his taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-of-variable-mind-is-not-one-man-but-several-men-in-one-he/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [He who knows how to wait for what he desires does not feel very desperate if he fails in obtaining it; and he, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/he-who-knows-how-to-wait-for-what-he-desires-does-not-feel-very/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. \[Fr.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marble-i-mean-that-it-is-made-up/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Grief that is dazed and speechless is out of fashion: the modern woman mourns her husband loudly and tells you the whole story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/grief-that-is-dazed-and-speechless-is-out-of-fashion-the-modern-woman/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Every hour in itself, as it respects us in particular, is the only one we can call our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/every-hour-in-itself-as-it-respects-us-in-particular-is-the-only-one/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [To express truth is to write naturally, forcibly, and delicately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/to-express-truth-is-to-write-naturally-forcibly-and-delicately/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [We perceive wen love begins and wen it declines by our embarrassment when alone together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-perceive-wen-love-begins-and-wen-it-declines-by-our-embarrassment/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I call those men worldly, earthly, or coarse, whose hearts and minds are wholly fixed on this earth, that small part of the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-call-those-men-worldly-earthly-or-coarse-whose-hearts-and-minds-are/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) [Explore all 464 Jean de la Bruyere quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## More Artifice quotes > [I did plays in college, and I have half of a play. But I'm kind of stuck. I keep revisiting it so maybe it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-bender/i-did-plays-in-college-and-i-have-half-of-a-play-but-i-m-kind-of/) [Aimee Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-bender/) > [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/) > [To the extent that I've ever understood postmodernism - and I'm sure there are people out there who do, but I'm not one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-erickson/to-the-extent-that-i-ve-ever-understood-postmodernism-and-i-m-sure/) [Steve Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-erickson/) > [Films are artifice. We're telling stories on film. At the same time, when it works, there is a real tough immediacy and spontaneity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mcgann/films-are-artifice-we-re-telling-stories-on-film-at-the-same-time/) [Paul McGann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mcgann/) > [Holidays are in no sense an alternative to the congestion and bustle of the cities and work. Quite the contrary. People look to escape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/holidays-are-in-no-sense-an-alternative-to-the-congestion-and-bustle/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [But since the Modernists (as they are commonly and rightly called) employ a very clever artifice, namely, to present their doctrines without order and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-x/but-since-the-modernists-as-they-are-commonly-and-rightly-called/) [Pope Pius X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-x/) > [Being blond is definitely a different state of mind. I can't really put my finger on it, but the artifice of being blond has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/being-blond-is-definitely-a-different-state-of-mind-i-can-t-really/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [Cupid is naked and does not like artifices contrived by beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/propertius/cupid-is-naked-and-does-not-like-artifices-contrived-by-beauty/) [Propertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/propertius/) > [The girl in the mirror caught my eye briefly...It is an uncanny feeling, that rare occasion when one catches a glimpse of oneself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/the-girl-in-the-mirror-caught-my-eye-briefly-it-is-an-uncanny-feeling/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [Each day is a miracle that intoxicates me. I want more. I greet every morning like a new pleasure. And yet I am keenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malika-oufkir/each-day-is-a-miracle-that-intoxicates-me-i-want-more-i-greet-every/) Malika Oufkir > [If a close examination of the evidences of Christianity may be expected of one class of men more than another, it would seem incumbent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-greenleaf/if-a-close-examination-of-the-evidences-of-christianity-may-be/) [Simon Greenleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-greenleaf/) > [By the word simplicity, is not always meant folly or ignorance; but often, pure and upright Nature, free from artifice, craft or deceitful ornament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-the-word-simplicity-is-not-always-meant-folly-or-ignorance-but/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The younger and healthier a woman is and the more her new and glossy body seems destined for eternal freshness, the less useful is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-younger-and-healthier-a-woman-is-and-the-more-her-new-and-glossy/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [What! Would you make no distinction between hypocrisy and devotion? Would you give them the same names, and respect the mask as you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/what-would-you-make-no-distinction-between-hypocrisy-and-devotion/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Art lies by its own artifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/art-lies-by-its-own-artifice/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) Browse all 166 Artifice quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean de la Bruyere" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/dissimulation-even-the-most-innocent-in-its-nature-is-ever-productive/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artifice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/dissimulation-even-the-most-innocent-in-its-nature-is-ever-productive/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/269/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_artifice_dissimulation-even-the-most-innocent-in_673032.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/269/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_artifice_dissimulation-even-the-most-innocent-in_673032.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/269/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_artifice_dissimulation-even-the-most-innocent-in_673032.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Dissimulation, even the most innocent in its nature, is ever productive of embarrassment; whether the design…” — Jean de la Bruyere", "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": "Jean de la Bruyere", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Dissimulation, even the most innocent in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/dissimulation-even-the-most-innocent-in-its-nature-is-ever-productive/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/dissimulation-even-the-most-innocent-in-its-nature-is-ever-productive/#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 } } ] } ```