“Everyone complains of his memory, and no one complains of his judgement.”François de La Rochefoucauld · Maxime · 1665 · Maxime, Maxima 89
We criticize our memory, but not our judgment, even though the latter deceives us more often.
The maxim reveals a blind spot: forgetfulness is a minor flaw we readily admit, while errors in judgment escape us because we mistake them for reason itself. For example, someone might say 'I forgot his name' without shame, but rarely admits 'I misjudged the situation.'
Why it matters It encourages us to be more self-critical and to check whether our decisions are truly sound, not just to complain about forgetfulness.