Chapter 64
The True Value of Recognition
OF RECOMPENSES OF HONOUR They who write the life of Augustus Caesar,--[Suetonius, Life of Augustus, c. 25.]--observe this in his military discipline, that he was wonderfully liberal of gifts to men of merit, but that as to the true recompenses of honour he was as sparing; yet he himself had been gratified by his uncle with all the military recompenses before he had ever been in the field. It was a pretty invention, and received into most governments of the world, to institute certain vain and in themselves valueless distinctions to honour and recompense virtue, such as the crowns of…
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Key Quotes & Analysis
"crowns of laurel, oak, and myrtle, the particular fashion of some garment, the privilege to ride in a coach in the city, or at night with a torch, some peculiar place assigned in public assemblies, the prerogative of certain additional names and titles, certain distinctions in the bearing of coats of arms, and the like, the use of which, according to the several humours of nations, has been variously received, and yet continues."
Context: Honour invented
Vain but useful.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says governments invented vain distinctions such as crowns of laurel, oak, and myrtle to honour virtue without charge to prince or people. Symbol can reward cheaply when cash would corrupt the praise. Use ceremonial praise when money is wrong, but guard it from becoming routine decoration everyone ignores.
"rewards that are not at all chargeable either to prince or people."
Context: Orders of merit
Costless esteem.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne calls knightly orders a profitable custom because they satisfy rare men with rewards not at all chargeable to prince or people. Status can be budget-friendly when money would cheapen the praise. When cash is tight, ask whether a scarce honor could still mark genuine service without inflation.
"honour is a privilege which derives its principal essence from rarity; and so virtue itself: “Cui malus est nemo, quis bonus esse potest?” [“To whom no one is ill who can be good?”-Martial, xii."
Context: Augustus sparing
Scarcity creates value.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says Augustus had reason to be sparing with honour because it is a privilege deriving its principal essence from rarity, as virtue itself does when common. Abundance kills esteem. If you give the highest praise every quarter, downgrade the words or reserve them for rarer acts.
"when we say a man of high worth a good man, in our court style--‘tis to say a valiant man"
Context: French usage
Valour tops virtue.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne notes that in French court style to call a man of high worth a good man is to call him a valiant man, after the Roman link of virtue to vis, force. The nation prizes arms. Notice which virtue your culture names first when it says someone is good.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Montaigne shows how social honors maintain class distinctions through scarcity—when everyone can have them, the hierarchy collapses
Development
Builds on earlier discussions of social positioning and status markers
In Your Life:
You might notice how certain certifications or titles at work lose prestige when they become too common or easy to get
Identity
In This Chapter
True identity comes from genuine achievement, not from titles or recognition handed out freely
Development
Continues Montaigne's exploration of authentic self-worth versus social validation
In Your Life:
You might struggle with whether your professional identity is based on real skills or inflated job titles
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Society expects certain behaviors as baseline (like parental love or Spartan courage) and only rewards what exceeds normal expectations
Development
Extends the theme of how social norms shape what we value and recognize
In Your Life:
You might feel unappreciated for doing your basic job well while others get praised for minimal effort
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
Relationships suffer when praise becomes meaningless—we stop believing compliments that come too easily
Development
New application of relationship dynamics through the lens of recognition and value
In Your Life:
You might notice your partner's compliments feel hollow if they praise everything you do equally
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
Why does Montaigne say Augustus was generous with money but stingy with military honors?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
Augustus understood that honor derives its power from rarity. Money can reward many things, but true recognition loses meaning when it becomes common.
- 2
Why did France's Order of St. Michael lose respect when more people received it?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
The order's value came from exclusivity. When standards dropped and it became easier to obtain, it no longer signaled exceptional merit or virtue.
- 3
Where do you see participation trophies or grade inflation creating the problem Montaigne describes?
application • mediumOne way to read it
In schools where everyone gets awards, students stop valuing recognition. Like Montaigne's devalued knighthood, these honors lose their power to motivate excellence.
- 4
How would you design a recognition system that avoids the trap Montaigne warns about?
application • deepOne way to read it
Set clear, high standards and stick to them even if fewer people qualify. Better to give no award than cheapen it, as Montaigne suggests with military honors.
- 5
What does Montaigne's essay reveal about why humans need recognition to feel motivated?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
We crave distinction and meaning through rarity. When recognition becomes common, it fails to satisfy our deeper need to feel genuinely special or accomplished.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Audit Your Recognition Environment
Look at one area of your life where you regularly receive or give recognition—work, family, hobbies, or social groups. List three types of praise or rewards that happen there. For each one, ask: Is this rare or common? Is it earned or automatic? Does it actually motivate people or has it become meaningless background noise?
Consider:
- •Notice the difference between recognition that makes you feel genuinely proud versus recognition that feels empty
- •Consider whether you're chasing rewards that have been inflated to meaninglessness
- •Think about how you give recognition to others—are you accidentally cheapening it?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you received recognition that truly mattered to you. What made it meaningful? How was it different from routine praise you've gotten?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 65: Fathers, Children, and the Art of Letting Go
After crowns that cost nothing, Montaigne weighs fathers' love and money. He will dedicate an essay to Madame D'Estissac and ask why old men hoard estates while sons wait in poverty.
