“The promise given was a necessity of the past; the word broken is a necessity of the present”
— Niccolo Machiavelli
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Simplified Meaning:
Sometimes, people make promises because they really need to at that moment. For instance, imagine a friend promises to help you move because they don't want to let you down. However, when the day comes, something urgent might happen, like an unexpected work shift or a family emergency. In that moment, they have to break the promise because the current situation makes it impossible to keep it. It shows that while past commitments were important then, current realities can force change. So, it's not always about someone being unreliable; circumstances can make them change their plans. Understanding this can help us be more forgiving and flexible when promises aren't kept.
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