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The noble person uses things the lesser man is used by things.

Xunzi

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Xunzi
Men
Lesser
Uses
Noble
Use
Used
Persons
Person
Things

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In antiquity the sage kings recognized that men's nature is bad and that their tendencies were not being corrected and their lawlessness controlled.
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Thus, that one can find no place to walk through the breadth of the earth is not because the earth is not tranquil but because the danger to every step of the traveler lies generally with words.
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The drum is surely the lord of music, is it not?
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If the impulse to daring and bravery is too fierce and violent, stay it with guidance and instruction.
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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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Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.
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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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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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Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.
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