A French writer from the 17th century wrote 504 of these. What are they, and why are they important?
Subject: Aphorisms - Rochefaoucauld’s Maxims
Event: Birthday of François de La Rochefoucauld, 1613 and first publication of USA Today, 1982
As it is the mark of great minds to say many things in a few words, so it is that of little minds to use many words to say nothing. -François de La Rochefoucauld
On this day in 1613, the French writer François de La Rochefoucauld was born in Paris. His life was as a riches to rags story. He was born into a wealthy and privileged family, and in his early life he became an influential courtier. Unfortunately when France descended into civil war between 1648 and 1653, Rochefoucauld ended up on the losing side. He was shot through the eye in battle and was lucky to eventually recover his eyesight. Expelled from Paris, he retired to the French countryside.
At this point Rochefoucauld began to reflect on his experience and to take part in the French salon, intellectual gatherings hosted by prominent women in private homes. At these gatherings Rochefoucauld honed his ability to express his wisdom with a keen and cunning wit.
Lucky for us, he recorded this wisdom in the form of pithy statements known as aphorisms (He called them maxims). These one to two sentence statements sum up keen insights into universal human themes, frequently expressing hard, cynical truths about human nature and frailty:
We seldom praise except to get praise back.
Our enemies are nearer the truth in their opinion of us than we are ourselves.
The reason why lovers never tire of each other’s company is that the conversation is always about themselves.
We are never as unhappy as we think, nor as happy as we had hoped.
Unlike other philosophers who are often vague and verbose, Rochefoucauld follows the principle of parsimony in his writing, stripping every sentence of all unnecessary words. His aphorisms are each carefully crafted to deliver concise, clear, and often uncomfortable truth (1).
The philosopher Alain de Botton sums up La Rochefoucauld’s writing formula as follows:
A typical La Rochefoucauld aphorism begins by addressing the reader with a “we” or “one,” inviting consent with gentle coercion. The aphorism then subverts an accepted piety about human nature in a cynical or sceptical direction. It’s in the last third of the sentence that the sting is generally delivered, and it often makes us laugh, as can happen when we are forced to acknowledge the falsity of a previously sentimental or hypocritical position. (2)
La Rochefoucauld wrote 504 aphorisms, and each one is a reminder of how important it is to look at yourself in the mirror and be honest with yourself. As the physicist Richard Feynman said, “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.”
Another event that occurred on this day in history is the first publication in 1982 of the USA Today newspaper.
Besides the fact that it was launched to be the newspaper for the entire nation — not just one city — several other characteristics made it unique. Its news stories were written to be short and easy-to-read. Each section featured extensive use of color, including an eye-catching infographic in the lower left-hand corner called a “Snapshot.” Critics derided the paper, dubbing it “McPaper.” Today, however, USA Today is still published five days a week and has one of the widest circulations of any newspaper in the United States.
Another unique feature pioneered by USA Today is its “Our View”/”Opposing View” editorials. In addition to presenting the USA Today Editorial Board’s position on an issue (“Our View”), the paper presents an additional editorial on the same issue that argues an alternative point of view, written by a guest writer and expert in the field. One example of this is the issue of Testing for U.S. Citizenship. The Our View editorial headline read, “Make Schoolkids Pass the Same Test As New Citizens,” while the “Opposing View” headline read, “Good Citizenship Transcends a Test.”
Recall, Retrieve, Recite, Ruminate, Reflect, Reason: What is an aphorism, and what are some examples of aphorisms about the same topic that have contrasting messages?
Challenge - Aphorisms At Odds: In the spirit of the wisdom provided by aphorists like La Rochefoucauld and in honor of USA Today’s “Our View/Opposing View” editorials, take a look at the opposing views on the four topics below. Identify the one quotation you most agree with, and write an explanation of why you agree with its view rather than the alternative view offered on the topic.
ON JEALOUSY:
Jealousy: that dragon which slays love under the pretense of keeping it alive. -Havelock Ellis
Where there is no jealousy there is no love. -German proverb
ON SPORT:
Sport is an order of chivalry, a code of ethics and aesthetics, recruiting its members from all classes and all peoples. Sport is a truce . . . . -Rene Mahew
Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words it is war minus the shooting. -George Orwell
ON REVOLUTION:
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure. -Thomas Jefferson
Every revolution evaporates, leaving behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy. -Franz Kafka
ON LAW:
The Law is reason free from passion. -Aristotle
People say law but they mean wealth. -Emerson
Also on this day
Opposing arguments - see word days
Also on This Day:
September 15, 1982: USA Today, the American daily newspaper, was first published. Besides the fact that it was launched to be the newspaper for the entire nation -- not just one city -- several other characteristics made it unique. Its news stories were written to be short and easy-to-read. Each section featured extensive use of color, including an eye-catching infographic in the lower left-hand corner called a “Snapshot.” Critics derided the paper, dubbing it “McPaper.” Another unique feature pioneered by USA Today is its “Our View”/”Opposing View” editorials. In addition to presenting the USA Today Editorial Board’s position on an issue (“Our View”), the paper presents an additional editorial on the same issue that argues an alternative point of view written by a guest writer and expert in the field. One example of this is on the issue of Testing for U.S. Citizenship. The Our View editorial headline read, “Make Schoolkids Pass the Same Test As New Citizens,” while the “Opposing View” headline read, “Good Citizenship Transcends a Test.”
Sources:
1-Geary, James. Geary’s Guide to the World’s Great Aphorists. New York: Bloomsbury, 2007.
2-The School of Life. La Rochefoucauld.
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