This French expression for “self-love,” “self-esteem,” or “vanity” is an important aspect of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s philosophical theory. He asserts that this type of love is easily corrupted because it is based upon how others perceive the self and is a natural part of living in a smaller society: People compare themselves to others and may find their sense of self-esteem or self-love diminished as a result. At the same time, amour-propre can have the positive social impact of encouraging people to better themselves, developing virtue as they seek others’ approval.

Émile is a novel by Jean-Jacques Rousseau that focuses on what Rousseau to believes the natural goodness of man. Rousseau asserts that civilization corrupts humankind and is the source of all vice.

Orpiment refers to an arsenic sulfide mineral that used to poison insects and to tip deadly arrows. In history, the mineral was traded by the Roman Empire and China and was used as medicine, although it was extremely toxic. Rousseau ingested orpiment as a physics experiment, causing extreme detriment to his health.