--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Neither blows from pitchfork, nor from…" description: "\"Neither blows from pitchfork, nor from the lash, can make him change his ways. [Fr., Coups de fourches ni d'etriveres, Ne lui font changer de manieres...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_blow_neither-blows-from-pitchfork-nor-from-th_2840588.jpg" --- # Neither blows from pitchfork, nor from the lash, can make… ![“Neither blows from pitchfork, nor from the lash, can make him change his ways. [Fr., Coups de fourches ni d'etriveres, Ne lui font changer de manieres.]” quote by Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_blow_neither-blows-from-pitchfork-nor-from-th_2840588.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_blow_neither-blows-from-pitchfork-nor-from-th_2840588.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_blow_neither-blows-from-pitchfork-nor-from-th_2840588.jpg) > “Neither blows from pitchfork, nor from the lash, can make him change his ways. \[Fr., Coups de fourches ni d'etriveres, Ne lui font changer de manieres.\]” [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. External pressure cannot force a stubborn person to change; internal resolve is required. **In simple terms:** People won’t change if they don’t want to. Key Takeaway Focus on influencing internal motivation. Themes stubbornness influence change Mood determined reflective Type moral didactic When to use this quote - political persuasion - personal relationships - habit formation Key Concepts psychology willpower resistance Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster genuine internal change? - What internal motivations can you appeal to? A Different Perspective Even strong external forces may be ignored if the person’s core beliefs stay firm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Coups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coups/) ## Related quotes > [Some devil with a pitchfork keep talkin' like he know me. I stood before an angel as he told me bout the glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/some-devil-with-a-pitchfork-keep-talkin-like-he-know-me-i-stood/) [Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/) > [She wears her clothes as if they were thrown on with a pitchfork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/she-wears-her-clothes-as-if-they-were-thrown-on-with-a-pitchfork/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [When I was developing St. Lucia - around 2008, 2009, at the peak of Pitchfork culture - what was considered cool was being as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/when-i-was-developing-st-lucia-around-2008-2009-at-the-peak-of/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [Because you're a woman, the music industry puts you in another corner. I want to be fighting with the men. I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/because-you-re-a-woman-the-music-industry-puts-you-in-another-corner/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [Naturam expellas furca, tamen usque revenit. You can drive nature out with a pitchfork, she will nevertheless come back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/naturam-expellas-furca-tamen-usque-revenit-you-can-drive-nature-out/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Mainstream success is important - that's probably anathema to an indie publication like Pitchfork, but it's what I believe having experienced it personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-love/mainstream-success-is-important-that-s-probably-anathema-to-an-indie/) [Courtney Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-love/) > [It was summertime and I was in The Azores, hanging around the small village my parents are from. 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