One thing people need to understand about extremely kind, nice, and loving people, is that their other side is just as extreme. It's their moral compass that makes them gentle. Don't mistake their self-control for weakness.
Whenever I catch myself not reading things completely, I remember anti-intellectualism is on the rise, literacy is in decline, and I don’t want to be a VICTIM!
I finally understand what Machiavelli meant when he said, “Never play fair in a game where others cheat.” It doesn’t mean become evil. It means stop being naive. Stop bringing honesty to people who study manipulation, stop giving access to people who weaponize closeness, and stop expecting clean hands from people who already showed you they’ll throw dirt. Sometimes wisdom is not revenge. Sometimes wisdom is learning the rules of the room before the room uses your goodness against you.