Francois de La Rochefoucauld Quotes
The heart is forever making the head its fool.
La Rochefoucauld, François de. Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims. Translated by J. W. Willis Bund and J. Hain Friswell, Simpson, Low, Son, and Marston, 1871.
This is a common phenomenon in most democracies. There are 3 reasons that people vote against their interests. One is that they are fooled by the slickness of particular candidate and/or promises and assurances. Second, their cultural values are offended by the candidate who advocates and will fight for their interests. Third, they have been frightened sufficiently that they will sacrifice their interests if that will protect them. One frequent example is that in America in all wars, many people have voted for the candidate or party who would erode and/or deny their civil rights in the name of national security.
François VI, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Prince de Marcillac was a noted French moralist and author of maxims and memoirs. He is part of the literary movement of classicism and best known for his maxims. Although he only officially published his Memoirs and his Maxims, his literary production is dense.
