What we term virtue is often but a mass of various actions and divers interests, which fortune, or our own industry, manage to arrange; and it is not always from valour or from chastity that men are brave, and women chaste.

This is the first Maxim in Francois Duc De La Rochefoucauld's long long list. As this is the first we're looking at, how should we go about reading it? Do we search for literary merit or look solely for meaning?

It certainly sounds alright. But isn't it remarkably easy to concur with something when phrased like this? The way he uses 'we' hardly gives us the choice to disagree, and if we were to say 'Wow Duc, that's quite the generalization,' he has the word often included so we know he isn't implying universality.

But I think there must be some truth to it. Think of a soldier on the battle field who fought dearly and helped his country win a triumphant battle. Afterwards he goes home to great parades and ribbons and ceremonies claiming him a God of Virtue. But couldn't he have just been fighting for his own life? To save his own skin? Is that wrong? No it's not wrong, but Duc is right, it's not virtue either. Sometimes the choice to do right by oneself is also touted as bravery.

What is Duc saying then? He is telling us to be weary of titles and honor because we really have no idea which actions were propelled by virtue and which were propelled by self-interest. Do you think though he is directing negativity towards those who let themselves be considered virtuous or chaste? I don't think so, rather I think he is merely drawing attention to our love for the hero and proposing a degree of skepticism to the matter.

What did you all think of his pronoun use? Why did he say "our own industry" rather than "their own industry?"  It must be more than a warning against idolizing a false hero, it is also a warning to us not to fool ourselves. Might this maxim suggest we should look very closely at our own motives so as not to give ourselves undue credit?