Francois de la Rochefoucauld (1613-1680) was a French nobleman and writer whose sharp wit and keen Observation of Human nature were forged amidst the political turbulence of the Fronde, a series of civil wars in France. Living in a Period marked by the rise of absolutism under Louis XIV, he translated his experiences into "La Rochefoucauld Maxims," first published in 1665. This seminal Work dissected the darker sides of human motives, challenging the era's moral and social assumptions. Initially met with mixed reactions, the Maxims intrigued and scandalized the and intellectual circles alike. Over Time, its aphoristic insights have infiltrated Philosophy and Literature, influencing Enlightenment thinkers, romantic writers, and even modern Psychology, extending its reach to unexpected terrains such as Japanese Aesthetics and Russian Existentialism.
Guiding Question
Are our virtues driven by genuine goodness or disguised self-interest?