--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men are so simple, and governed so…" description: "\"“Men are so simple, and governed so absolutely by their present needs, that he who wishes to deceive will never fail in finding willing dupes.”\" — Nicc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/niccolo-machiavelli-368_dupes_men-are-so-simple-and-governed-so-absolu_2407338.jpg" --- # Men are so simple, and governed so absolutely by their… ![“Men are so simple, and governed so absolutely by their present needs, that he who wishes to deceive will never fail in finding willing dupes.” quote by Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/niccolo-machiavelli-368_dupes_men-are-so-simple-and-governed-so-absolu_2407338.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/niccolo-machiavelli-368_dupes_men-are-so-simple-and-governed-so-absolu_2407338.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/niccolo-machiavelli-368_dupes_men-are-so-simple-and-governed-so-absolu_2407338.jpg) > ““Men are so simple, and governed so absolutely by their present needs, that he who wishes to deceive will never fail in finding willing dupes.”” [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People act mainly out of immediate self‑interest, making them easy targets for deception. **In simple terms:** People are driven by current needs, so deceit works. Key Takeaway Beware of exploiting others’ short‑term desires. Themes politics deception human nature Mood cautious skeptical analytical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - political campaigns - marketing - personal relationships - negotiations Key Concepts self‑interest manipulation psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect yourself from being manipulated? - When might honesty be more effective than deceit? A Different Perspective Deception can backfire if victims later recognize manipulation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dupes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dupes/) [Governed Absolutely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governed-absolutely-6048691/) [Men Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-simple-1022897/) [Simple Governed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple-governed-6048692/) [Willing Dupes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willing-dupes-6048690/) ## Related quotes > [When men ask me how I know so much about men, they get a simple answer: everything I know about men, I learned from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/when-men-ask-me-how-i-know-so-much-about-men-they-get-a-simple-answer/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Men are simple minded. The fact that women can't understand them, begins to show just how complex they are...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-are-simple-minded-the-fact-that-women-can-t-understand-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men are simple creatures. It doesn't take much to please us. The problem is women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cotton/men-are-simple-creatures-it-doesn-t-take-much-to-please-us-the/) [Tom Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cotton/) > [Men of simple understanding, little inquisitive and little instructed, make good Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/men-of-simple-understanding-little-inquisitive-and-little-instructed/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“Most of the men had simple souls. They could relate facts, but they said very little about what they dimly felt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/most-of-the-men-had-simple-souls-they-could-relate-facts-but-they/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“The world is never lacking for angry men with simple answers to complicated problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-kay/the-world-is-never-lacking-for-angry-men-with-simple-answers-to-2/) [Elliott Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-kay/) > [You'd be amazed at how much power women have over men - and the basic control is nagging... Men are very simple creatures, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/you-d-be-amazed-at-how-much-power-women-have-over-men-and-the-basic/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [“Men? They are simple creatures. Is there something wrong with your man? Feed him, and take him to your bed. Et Voila! All problems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sex/men-they-are-simple-creatures-is-there-something-wrong-with-your-man/) [Nikki Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sex/) > [“The world is never lacking for angry men with simple answers to complicated problems. The trouble starts when people listen to them. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-kay/the-world-is-never-lacking-for-angry-men-with-simple-answers-to/) [Elliott Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-kay/) > [Women are complex and subtle. Men are simple and direct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/women-are-complex-and-subtle-men-are-simple-and-direct/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Men are simple creatures. 99% of their problems can be solved with sex, sandwiches, or both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/men-are-simple-creatures-99-of-their-problems-can-be-solved-with-sex/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Men are simple creatures who could live in a studio apartment with a few shirts and pants and be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-zarin/men-are-simple-creatures-who-could-live-in-a-studio-apartment-with-a/) [Jill Zarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-zarin/) > [Men are so simple of mind, and so much dominated by their immediate needs, that a deceitful man will always find plenty who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-so-simple-of-mind-and-so-much-dominated-by-their-immediate/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Oh, yes, men are very simple and obvious in some ways, you know. They generally react in the way one would expect and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-pym/oh-yes-men-are-very-simple-and-obvious-in-some-ways-you-know-they/) [Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/) > [Men are so simple and yield so readily to the desires of the moment that he who will trick will always find another who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-so-simple-and-yield-so-readily-to-the-desires-of-the-moment/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## More by Niccolò Machiavelli > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is the duty of a man of honor to teach others the good which he has not been able to do himself because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-the-duty-of-a-man-of-honor-to-teach-others-the-good-which-he/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who believes that new benefits make men of high station forget old injuries deceives himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-believes-that-new-benefits-make-men-of-high-station-forget/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [He who has once begun to live by rapine always finds reasons for taking what is not his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-has-once-begun-to-live-by-rapine-always-finds-reasons-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/speaking-generally-men-are-ungrateful-fickle-hypocritical-fearful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-nothing-as-likely-to-succeed-as-what-the-enemy-believes-you/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-the-great-majority-of-mankind-are-satisfied-with-appearance-as/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/that-prince-is-highly-esteemed-who-conveys-this-impression-of-himself/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who studies present and ancient affairs will easily see how in all cities and all peoples there still exist, and have always existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-studies-present-and-ancient-affairs-will-easily-see-how-in/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-always-averse-to-enterprises-in-which-they-foresee/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“He who causes another to become powerful ruins himself, for he brings such a power into being either by design or by force, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-causes-another-to-become-powerful-ruins-himself-for-he-brings/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/one-never-finds-anything-perfectly-pure-and-exempt-from-danger/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) [Explore all 590 Niccolò Machiavelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## More Dupes quotes > [A forward critic often dupes us With sham quotations peri hupsos, And if we have not read Longinus, Will magisterially outshine us. Then, lest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-forward-critic-often-dupes-us-with-sham-quotations-peri-hupsos-and/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Women are ever the dupes or the victims of their extreme sensitiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/women-are-ever-the-dupes-or-the-victims-of-their-extreme-sensitiveness/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Pessimists fear becoming the dupes of Hope. Optimists enjoy Hope's company, and consider being duped no great matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/pessimists-fear-becoming-the-dupes-of-hope-optimists-enjoy-hope-s/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The bonds between ourselves and another person exists only in our minds. Memory as it grows fainter loosens them, and notwithstanding the illusion by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-bonds-between-ourselves-and-another-person-exists-only-in-our/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [The human heart has so many crannies where vanity hides, so many holes where falsehood works, is so decked out with deceiving hypocrisy, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-human-heart-has-so-many-crannies-where-vanity-hides-so-many-holes/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Ratings agencies are highly conflicted, unimaginative dupes. They are blissfully unaware of adverse selection and moral hazard. Investors should never trust them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/ratings-agencies-are-highly-conflicted-unimaginative-dupes-they-are/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Let nothing dupe you! Such is the horrible maxim that acts as a solvent upon every noble feeling man experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/let-nothing-dupe-you-such-is-the-horrible-maxim-that-acts-as-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The weak-minded man is the slave of his vices and the dupe of his virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-antoine-petit-senn/the-weak-minded-man-is-the-slave-of-his-vices-and-the-dupe-of-his/) [Jean Antoine Petit-Senn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-antoine-petit-senn/) > [When the Gauls laid waste Rome, they found the senators clothed in their robes, and seated in stern tranquillity in their curule chairs; in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/when-the-gauls-laid-waste-rome-they-found-the-senators-clothed-in/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Excessive partiality for one foreign nation and excessive dislike of another cause those whom they actuate to see danger only on one side, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/excessive-partiality-for-one-foreign-nation-and-excessive-dislike-of/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [In vain we shall penetrate more and more deeply the secrets of the structure of the human body, we shall not dupe nature; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/in-vain-we-shall-penetrate-more-and-more-deeply-the-secrets-of-the/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [The credulity of dupes is as inexhaustible as the invention of knaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-credulity-of-dupes-is-as-inexhaustible-as-the-invention-of-knaves/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Extraordinarily excessive sensuality it may be .. but it all comes down to the same thing in the end, and one means is surely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/extraordinarily-excessive-sensuality-it-may-be-but-it-all-comes-down/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) > [A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/a-man-is-his-own-easiest-dupe-for-what-he-wishes-to-be-true-he/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [PHRENOLOGY, n. The science of picking the pocket through the scalp. It consists in locating and exploiting the organ that one is a dupe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/phrenology-n-the-science-of-picking-the-pocket-through-the-scalp-it/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 72 Dupes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dupes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Men are so simple, and governed so absolutely by their present needs, that he who wishes to deceive will never fail in finding willing dupes.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Niccolò Machiavelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-so-simple-and-governed-so-absolutely-by-their-present-needs/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dupes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-so-simple-and-governed-so-absolutely-by-their-present-needs/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/niccolo-machiavelli-368_dupes_men-are-so-simple-and-governed-so-absolu_2407338.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/niccolo-machiavelli-368_dupes_men-are-so-simple-and-governed-so-absolu_2407338.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/niccolo-machiavelli-368_dupes_men-are-so-simple-and-governed-so-absolu_2407338.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Men are so simple, and governed so absolutely by their present needs, that he who wishes to deceive will…” — Niccolò Machiavelli", "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": "Niccolò Machiavelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Men are so simple, and governed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-so-simple-and-governed-so-absolutely-by-their-present-needs/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-so-simple-and-governed-so-absolutely-by-their-present-needs/#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 } } ] } ```