Many people, of course, use “sentimentalism” as a term of abuse for other people’s decent feelings, and “realism” as a disguise for their own brutality.
Cruel Quotes
The wish to hurt, the momentary intoxication with pain, is the loophole through which the pervert climbs into the minds of ordinary men.
Cruelty is the law pervading all nature and society; and we can’t get out of it if we would.
Whenever people say “we mustn’t be sentimental”, you can take it they are about to do something cruel. And if they add, “we must be realistic”, they mean they are going to make money out of it.
Scarcely anything awakens attention like a tale of cruelty. The writer of news never fails… to tell how the enemies murdered children and ravished virgins; and, if the scene of action be somewhat distant, scalps half the inhabitants of a province.
Man’s inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn!
The difference between coarse and refined abuse is the difference between being bruised by a club and wounded by a poisoned arrow.
Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong.
Is it worthwhile that we jostle a brother, Bearing his load on the rough road of life? Is it worthwhile that we jeer at each other, In blackness of heart – that we war to the knife? God pity us all in our pitiful strife.
One of the ill effects of cruelty is that it makes the bystanders cruel.
