Chapter III
1. The First Book of People is an assemblage of quotations that are meant to illustrate human nature. They are certainly not meant to be followed; they are demonstrative and not instructive.
2. There were two people speaking on a park bench about someone they both knew. One of them spoke of how this other person always made himself available to have lunch or dinner with them and that this other person was a great conversationalist. The other related a similar tale and of what a great person this other was.
3. Then off in the distance they saw this person they'd been talking about on an outing with his wife and children, and as they watched him yell at his children and clip his wife across the back of the head they said matter of factly, "he must be having a bad day".
4. He reads much; he is a great observer, and he looks quite through the deeds of men:
5. He loves no plays, as thou dost Antony; he hears no music:
6. Seldom he smiles; and smiles in such a sort as if he mock'd himself and scorn'd his spirit that could be moved to smile at any thing.
7. Such men as he be never at heart's ease whiles they behold a greater than themselves, and therefore are they very dangerous.
8. I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd than what I fear.
9. However much it may appear to be otherwise, and however many seeming victories it may enjoy, that which we call evil is simply a lower intellect.
10. Analyze every which way you wish and you will always arrive back at the same conclusion,
11. That is of course, unless you are "evil", a designation of which I'm not very fond because of its inaccuracy;
12. To dress up lack of intellect and call it evil does little other than attract more followers;
13. For who would follow that which we call an "evil" path if we called it for what it is.
14. In America it has become acceptable vernacular to refer to women as ho's and bitches;
15. It has become acceptable in large tracts of society to cheat others, and to be considered clever if you do and get away with it;
16. In other tracts of society it is seemingly acceptable and worthy of hero worship if you maim or kill police;
17. It is favoured to be aggressive and domineering;
18. It is acceptable to be a pimp, as if he is just another employer, in another normal job;
19. And of all these vices turned into virtues, the worst is one that is more widespread than most could imagine;
20. That is the view that if you have killed someone you are admired and respected;
21. In America this has become a mainstream view that many who have won't admit to, but they have it.
22. It is ludicrous that in America a very large percentage of the population considers that if you call someone a liberal it is one of the worst insults you can give them.
23. A liberal is someone who considers that other people are just as important and to help them if you can, and it is with this interpretation that it is supposed to be an insult.
24. A Leopard cannot change his spots, but one, two or even five bad acts do not make a Leopard.
25. A young Elephant acting under the influence of a shrewd Leopard can be convinced that he's a Leopard, but his Elephant nature will out.
26. And it is easy to tell that the young Elephant is not a Leopard, if only you look.
27. One of the key things that makes our system untenable into the future is how almost anybody who has even the smallest amount of power needs to be bargained with and convinced at great length, that there is something in it for them just to do the right thing.
28. No wise man or woman will undertake to reform a world, to reform a nation,
29. But in the process of such an attempt if it be seriously and strenuously undertaken, they may become wise, and so therefore be better equipped to see it through.
30. The older I get, the greater power I seem to have to help the world;
31. I am like a snowball, the further I am rolled the more I gain. And this is true of all who commit their lives to a noble cause.
32. I have brought myself, by long meditation, to the conviction that a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it,
33. And that nothing can resist a will which will stake even existence upon its fulfillment.