“With no power to annul the elemental evil in him, though readily enough he could hide it; apprehending the good, but powerless to be it a varnish of conventionalities hiding his barbaric core”
— Herman Melville
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Simplified Meaning:
Imagine someone who knows the difference between right and wrong and can act well-behaved in front of others. Even though they present themselves as good and polite, deep inside they struggle with bad thoughts or intentions. For example, think of a person who is really good at pretending to be friendly and kind during a job interview, but once they get the job, they secretly cheat or lie to get ahead. This person understands what it means to be good and how to show it on the outside, but they can't truly change who they are inside. Just like a coat of paint can make an old building look new, their good manners only cover up their true nature. To truly change, someone has to work on the inner self, not just how they appear to others.
Related tags
Barbarism Civilization Duality Facade Good vs evil Human nature Inner conflict Moral struggle Self-awarenessFEATURED QUOTES
