“The surest way to work up a crusade in favor of some good cause is to promise people they will have a chance of maltreating someone. To be able to destroy with good conscience, to be able to behave badly and call your bad behavior righteous indignation — this is the height of psychological luxury, the most delicious of moral treats.”
— Aldous Huxley
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Simplified Meaning:
People often feel powerful and justified when they can hurt others but call it fighting for a good cause. This happens because some causes let us believe our harmful actions are actually right and moral. Imagine a situation where a community believes they are defending their town by bullying outsiders. They may think going after those who are different is okay because they are "protecting" their own. It's like giving people a free pass to act cruelly while feeling proud of themselves. When you feel allowed to mistreat others and still think you're doing something noble, it can feel very satisfying. Be careful of causes that make it seem fine to be mean, as it’s often just an excuse for bad behavior.
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