---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fastidious are unfortunate: nothing…"
description: "\"The fastidious are unfortunate: nothing can satisfy them. [Lat., Les delicats sont malheureux, Rien ne saurait les satisfaire.]\" — Jean de La Fontaine"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_fastidious_the-fastidious-are-unfortunate-nothing-c_2120062.jpg"
---

#  The fastidious are unfortunate: nothing can satisfy them…

![“The fastidious are unfortunate: nothing can satisfy them. [Lat., Les delicats sont malheureux, Rien ne saurait les satisfaire.]” quote by Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_fastidious_the-fastidious-are-unfortunate-nothing-c_2120062.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_fastidious_the-fastidious-are-unfortunate-nothing-c_2120062.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_fastidious_the-fastidious-are-unfortunate-nothing-c_2120062.jpg)

> “The fastidious are unfortunate: nothing can satisfy them. \[Lat., Les delicats sont malheureux, Rien ne saurait les satisfaire.\]”

[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.

Perfectionism leads to chronic dissatisfaction because nothing can meet impossible standards.

**In simple terms:** Perfectionism makes one never satisfied.

Key Takeaway

Accept imperfection to find contentment.

Themes

perfectionism contentment expectations human nature

Mood

thoughtful philosophical

Type

inspirational reflective

When to use this quote

- personal goals
- creative work
- relationships

Key Concepts

philosophical psychology self‑acceptance

Questions to Reflect On

- Can you identify a realistic standard?
- How does letting go affect wellbeing?

A Different Perspective

Perfectionism may hinder progress and happiness.

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[Fastidious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fastidious/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Satisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfaction/)

## Related quotes

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> [they who are not fastidious as to the means, seldom fail of securing the result they aim at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-fern/they-who-are-not-fastidious-as-to-the-means-seldom-fail-of-securing/)

[Fanny Fern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-fern/)

> [I'm terribly fastidious. I like symmetry and neatness, but my house is as chaotic as any other family's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccloud/i-m-terribly-fastidious-i-like-symmetry-and-neatness-but-my-house-is/)

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> [Whatever people may say, the fastidious formal manner of the upper classes is preferable to the slovenly easygoing behaviour of the common middle class.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/whatever-people-may-say-the-fastidious-formal-manner-of-the-upper/)

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> [The study of Freemasonry is the study of man as a candidate for a blessed eternity. It furnishes examples of holy living, and displays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-study-of-freemasonry-is-the-study-of-man-as-a-candidate-for-a/)

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> [ It is not only a troublesome but slavish to be nice \[fastidious\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-not-only-a-troublesome-but-slavish-to-be-nice-fastidious/)

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> [Books, gentlemen, are a species of men, and introduced to them you circulate in the "very best society" that this world can furnish, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/books-gentlemen-are-a-species-of-men-and-introduced-to-them-you/)

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> [Two weeks before his death, a friend asked him half jokingly if he had discovered any meaning in life. "Yes," he replied, "there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/two-weeks-before-his-death-a-friend-asked-him-half-jokingly-if-he-had/)

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## More by Jean de La Fontaine

> [Nothing is so oppressive as a secret: women find it difficult to keep one long; and I know a goodly number of men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/nothing-is-so-oppressive-as-a-secret-women-find-it-difficult-to-keep/)

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> [ No flowery road leads to glory. \[Fr., Aucun chemin de fleurs ne conduit a la gloire.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/no-flowery-road-leads-to-glory-fr-aucun-chemin-de-fleurs-ne-conduit-a/)

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[Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/)

> [Example is a dangerous lure: where the wasp got through the gnat sticks fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/example-is-a-dangerous-lure-where-the-wasp-got-through-the-gnat/)

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[Explore all 166 Jean de La Fontaine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/)

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> [The study of Freemasonry is the study of man as a candidate for a blessed eternity. It furnishes examples of holy living, and displays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-study-of-freemasonry-is-the-study-of-man-as-a-candidate-for-a/)

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> [The fastidious are unfortunate; nothing satisfies them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/the-fastidious-are-unfortunate-nothing-satisfies-them/)

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