Alcohol is perfectly consistent in its effects upon man. Drunkenness is merely an exaggeration. A foolish man drunk becomes maudlin; a bloody man, vicious; a coarse man, vulgar.
Willa CatherRead
Kindness is not an illusion and violence is not a rule. The true resting state of human affairs is not represented by a man hacking his neighbor into pieces with a machete. That is a sick aberration. No, the true state of human affairs is life as it ought to be lived.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes that kindness is inherent to humanity, while violence is a distortion of our true nature.
Paul Rusesabagina reflects on the nature of human existence, asserting that kindness is an intrinsic quality rather than an illusion, contrasting it with the violent acts that occasionally arise in society. He believes that such violence is an aberration, and the essence of life should be characterized by compassion and understanding rather than conflict and aggression.
Themes
KindnessViolenceHumanityPeaceCompassion
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about community building to emphasize the importance of kindness.
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