Quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Civility is but a desire to receive civility, and to be esteemed polite.
Summary
This quote suggests that the motivation behind civility and politeness is driven by our own desire to be treated in a civil and polite manner by others. It implies that our actions of being respectful and courteous are largely based on the expectation of receiving the same treatment in return, indicating that our behavior is often transactional in nature. In other words, we engage in civil behavior not out of genuine concern for others, but rather as a means to gain social acceptance and be seen as polite ourselves.
Topics
Kindness
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