Daily Inspiration Quote by Moliere

Moliere’s line lands like a dry slap: praise is only as good as its spendability. “The sort that you put in your pocket” turns compliment into currency, exposing the social economy underneath flattery. In his comedies, admiration is rarely innocent; it’s an instrument passed between people who want something - status, access, forgiveness, a better seat at the table. The pocket image is doing double duty: it’s practical (you can’t buy dinner with applause) and slightly grubby, as if the recipient is already counting coins.

The intent isn’t to sneer at all appreciation. It’s to puncture the theatricality of public approval, the kind that makes the giver feel generous while leaving the receiver unchanged. Moliere wrote in a court culture where reputation could rise or collapse on patronage and favor, and where language was a performance with stakes. Praise, in that world, is often a promissory note that may never be honored. The line hints at a familiar scam: offer someone glowing words instead of actual help, then act as if the debt is paid.

The subtext is moral and oddly modern. It mocks the idea that symbolic validation should substitute for material support - a critique of “payment” in exposure, compliments, or goodwill. Moliere’s genius is that he doesn’t sermonize; he makes the metaphor so concrete you can feel it. If it can’t be pocketed, it’s probably meant to be heard by an audience, not used by a person.