As we ascend the social ladder, viciousness wears a thicker mask.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them.
A vile and overbearing temper becomes sometimes, in one long accustomed to the exercise of power, unendurable to those who are subject to its humors.
We all have a social mask, right? We put it on, we go out, put our best foot forward, our best image. But behind that social mask is a personal truth, what we really, really believe about who we are and what we're capable of.
Our virtues are most frequently but vices disguised.
Standing up to bullies is the hallmark of a civilized society.
There was a time when I thought dudes had friendship all figured out. The focus on eating things in front of giant screens, pretending to punch one another, competing over who can utter the grossest and most profane personal insults imaginable - this struck me as the very apex of human social exchange.
It is human nature to instinctively rebel at obscurity or ordinariness.
As soon as you concern yourself with the 'good' and 'bad' of your fellows, you create an opening in your heart for maliciousness to enter. Testing, competing with, and criticizing others weaken and defeat you.
Be virtuous and you will be vicious.
The more refined and subtle our minds, the more vulnerable they are.