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There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men.

Xunzi

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Xunzi
Men
Scholars
Spirited
Cautious
Petty
Scholar
Merely
Public
Successful
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The rigid cause themselves to be broken the pliable cause themselves to be bound.
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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.
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The coming of honor or disgrace must be a reflection of one's inner power.
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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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Since the nature of people is bad, to become corrected they must be taught by teachers and to be orderly they must acquire ritual and moral principles.
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If there is no dull and determined effort, there will be no brilliant achievement.
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Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.
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I once tried standing up on my toes to see far out in the distance, but I found that I could see much farther by climbing to a high place.
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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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Not having heard something is not as good as having heard it having heard it is not as good as having seen it having seen it is not as good as knowing it knowing it is not as good as putting it into practice.
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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.
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Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
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Pride and excess bring disaster for man.
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You look upon the seasons with expectation and await them: wy not seize the seasonal opportunities and exploit them?
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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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Quarreling over food and drink, having neither scruples nor shame, not knowing right from wrong, not trying to avoid death or injury, not fearful of greater strength or of greater numbers, greedily aware only of food and drink - such is the bravery of the dog and boar.
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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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If the blood humor is too strong and robust, calm it with balance and harmony.
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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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Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.
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