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The nature of man is evil what is good in him is artificial.
Xunzi
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Xunzi
Artificial
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More quotes by Xunzi
If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one's desires are many, what harm would they be to good order?
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I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study.
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Human nature refers to what is in people but which they cannot study or work at achieving.
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If the blood humor is too strong and robust, calm it with balance and harmony.
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Music is a fantastic peacekeeper of the world, it is integral to harmony, and it is a required fundamental of human emotion.
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If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity.
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Misery is evil quarreling, a misfortune. There is only one possibility of avoiding both: a clear division of society. [Otherwise] the strong tyrannize the weak, the intelligent frighten the stupid, the inferior resist the superior, and the young mock the old.
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Therefore, a person should first be changed by a teacher's instructions, and guided by principles of ritual. Only then can he observe the rules of courtesy and humility, obey the conventions and rules of society, and achieve order.
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The rigid cause themselves to be broken the pliable cause themselves to be bound.
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When people lack teachers, their tendencies are not corrected when they do not have ritual and moral principles, then their lawlessness is not controlled.
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The petty man is eager to make boasts, yet desires that others should believe in him. He enthusiastically engages in deception, yet wants others to have affection for him. He conducts himself like an animal, yet wants others to think well of him.
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Now it is human nature to want to eat to ones fill when hungry, to want to warm up when cold, to want to rest when tired. These all are a part of people's emotional nature.
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The noble person uses things the lesser man is used by things.
Xunzi
Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.
Xunzi
Human nature is such that people are born with a love of profit If they follow these inclinations, they will struggle and snatch from each other, and inclinations to defer or yield will die.
Xunzi
When a man sees something desirable, he must reflect on the fact that with time it could come to involve what is detestable. When he sees something that is beneficial, he should reflect that sooner or later it, too, could come to involve harm.
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If you wish to see the thousand years, look at today if you wish to understand the millionfold, then look at the one or the two.
Xunzi
Thus, anybody who follows this nature and gives way its states will be led into quarrels and conflicts, and go against the conventions and rules of society, and will end up a criminal.
Xunzi
When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state.
Xunzi
Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them.
Xunzi