Jean de la Bruyere: Robs Himself
on Wednesday, February 16, 2022Jean de la Bruyere Money Quote saying that being extremely thrifty takes money from family, but a miserly person steals from themselves. Jean de la Bruyere said:
“The spendthrift robs his heirs the miser robs himself” — Jean de la Bruyere
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In this quote, Jean de la Bruyere is contrasting the behaviors and impacts of two different types of financially unwise individuals – the spendthrift and the miser.
Specifically, he notes that a spendthrift, who recklessly wastes money on excess or frivolous expenses, effectively “robs” or deprives their heirs (those who would inherit their estate) of the wealth that should be passed down.
However, Bruyere also states that a miser, who is overly frugal to the point of being stingy and refuses to spend any money even on themselves, paradoxically “robs” themselves by denying themselves the enjoyment or benefits that their wealth could provide while they are alive.
The best interpretation is that Bruyere believed both extremes – being either too free or too tight with money – were flawed approaches that ultimately hurt either oneself or others. A balanced attitude towards spending and saving was implied to be preferable to either extreme according to Bruyere’s perspective.
Birthday: August 16, 1645 – Death: May 11, 1696