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About this quote

What does it mean?
Cruelty often stems from ignorance and negative emotions rather than pure malice.
In plain terms
Bad behavior comes from confusion and envy, not just evil.
What can you take from it?
Look beyond surface cruelty to understand its root causes.

Where it applies

  • dealing with conflict
  • analyzing harm
  • moral education

Putting it to work

  • ask why harm happened
  • seek root causes
  • practice patience

Questions to consider

  • What fuels most conflicts?
  • How often is malice actually confusion?

Another view

Some cruelty is intentional and not explainable by frustration.

More from Edith Sitwell

  1. I'm not the man to baulk at a low smell, I'm not the man to insist on asphodel. This sounds like a He-fellow, don't you think? It sounds like that. I belch, I …

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  2. I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it.

    Permalink to quote #34
  3. Vulgarity is, in reality, nothing but a modern, chic, pert descendant of the goddess Dullness.

    Permalink to quote #31

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