François de La Rochefoucauld
François de La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680) was a French nobleman and writer, best known for his Maximes, a collection of concise moral aphorisms. His work examines human self-interest and social behavior; the proverb "You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs" reflects his recurrent theme of pragmatic trade-offs and the costs of action.
Quotes by François de La Rochefoucauld
Quotes: 2
How Examples Spread Good and Evil Alike
Beyond individuals, networks magnify example. Christakis and Fowler’s analyses of the Framingham network (NEJM, 2007–2008) reported that obesity, smoking cessation, and happiness clustered and propagated along social ties. In controlled settings, Damon Centola (Science, 2010) showed that ‘complex contagions’—new norms requiring reinforcement—spread best through clustered, redundant connections. These results clarify La Rochefoucauld’s phrase ‘produces its like’: actions ripple not merely linearly but through patterned webs, where structure decides whether a spark becomes a cascade. [...]
Created on: 11/18/2025
You Can’t Make an Omelet Without Breaking Some Eggs - François de La Rochefoucauld
François de La Rochefoucauld, a 17th-century French writer and moralist, often explored human nature and behaviors. This particular aphorism aligns with his broader themes of realism and the complexities of decision-making. [...]
Created on: 2/2/2025