Ambiguous Quote by Marcel Proust
“There is probably no one, however rigid his virtue, who is not liable to find himself, by the complexity of circumstances, living at close quarters with the very vice which he himself has been most outspoken in condemning -- without altogether recognizing it beneath the disguise of ambiguous behavior which it assumes in his presence.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: In Search of Lost Time, 1913
Even virtuous people can unknowingly embody the vices they condemn, hidden by ambiguous behavior.
In simple terms: Virtue can mask hidden vice.
Key Takeaway
Self‑examine motives and actions.
Themes
virtue
hypocrisy
self‑deception
behavior
Mood
introspective
critical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- leadership training
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
ethics
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What hidden vices might you hold?
- How can you reveal them?
A Different Perspective
Self‑awareness is difficult to achieve.
![“...The British press... [claimed that Tony] Blair was simply Bush's poodle - a favorite phrase, bewilderingly popular, although it made no sense - and that he was ignoring the will of the British people. Considering the hacks had spent Blair's first six years in office condemning him for relying…” quote by Larry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8c7/larry-king-7288_attention_the-british-press-claimed-that-tony-blai_202561.jpg)
![“The media theme was, "June is when you win the presidency," because that's what they thought Hillary [Clinton] was doing. Hillary was running ads condemning [Donald] Trump, characterizing Trump, marginalizing Trump.” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a58/rush-limbaugh-28_ads_the-media-theme-was-june-is-when-you-win_144115.jpg)
![“For her [Françoise], wealth was like a necessary condition without which virtue would lack both merit and charm. She made so little distinction between the two that she came to see their qualities as interchangeable, expecting material comfort from virtue and moral edification from wealth.” quote by Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/573/marcel-proust-114_character_for-her-fran-oise-wealth-was-like-a-nece_2687.jpg)
