"There is no praise to bear the sort that you put in your pocket"

Moliere’s assertion, “There is no praise to bear the sort that you put in your pocket,” detours from the ostentatious allure of self-serving compliments and artificial flattery. Praise, by its deepest moral implication, functions as a social contract, elevating not just the individual but contributing to the communal sense of virtue, encouragement, and justice. When a person receives acknowledgment that can be metaphorically stashed away like coins or private treasure, it suggests an insincerity or self-interest at work. Such praise, rather than illuminating genuine virtue or inspiring others, serves a transactional purpose, it is something to be hoarded, not something to uplift.

Moliere implies that real praise cannot be monetized, commodified, or privately stored for any personal agenda. The sort “put in your pocket” may refer to recognitions bestowed in secret, ones expected as bribes or as pleas for favors, a form of flattery used for manipulation or gain. These forms do not add to self-worth nor enhance the value of communal respect. Instead, they remain empty, unable to bear the ‘weight’ of true virtue. Genuine praise is public and selfless, enhancing character and fostering genuine esteem.

The phrase also evokes skepticism towards compliments that carry underlying motives, warnings against valuing those affirmations which are not freely and openly given. Moliere challenges individuals to discern between praise offered sincerely and praise wielded as currency. Social dynamics often push people to seek validation in accolades and external approval that can be paraded or quietly amassed; yet, these do not help develop moral character or genuine self-esteem.

Finally, Moliere’s wisdom compels one to reflect on the ways admiration is given and received. What matters is not the accumulation of applause that can be turned to personal advantage, but the honest, selfless recognition that uplifts others and enforces virtue for virtue’s sake.