Augustus Quote by John Williams
““Mankind in the aggregate I have found to be brutish, ignorant and unkind, whether those qualities were covered by the coarse tunic of the peasant of the white and purple toga of a senator. And yet in the weakest of men, in moments when they are alone and themselves, I have found veins of strength like gold in decaying rock; in the cruelest of men, flashes of tenderness and compassion; and in the vainest of men, moments of simplicity and grace.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Unknown, possibly lecture or interview, date unknown
Human nature contains both harshness and unexpected kindness, appearing in all social ranks and personal moments.
In simple terms: People can be cruel yet kind, regardless of status.
Key Takeaway
Look for hidden goodness in yourself and others.
Themes
human nature
duality
compassion
strength
grace
Mood
thoughtful
reflective
Type
observational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- leadership training
- conflict resolution
- community building
Key Concepts
psychology
philosophy
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What moments have revealed unexpected kindness in you?
- How can we nurture the 'gold in decaying rock' within societies?
A Different Perspective
Not all individuals will display these positive traits; context can suppress them.
![“Would a soul continually eye His everlasting tenderness and compassion...[then] it could not bear an hour's absence from Him; whereas now, perhaps, it cannot watch with him one hour.” quote by John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/419/john-owen-1415_absence_would-a-soul-continually-eye-his-everlas_907410.jpg)
![“Whenever I allow anything but tenderness and compassion to dictate my response to life--be it self-righteous anger, moralizing, defensiveness, the pressing need to change others...I am alienated from my true self. My identity as Abba's child [a child of God] becomes ambiguous, tentative and confused” quote by Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dbb/brennan-manning-959_ambiguous_whenever-i-allow-anything-but-tenderness_2805528.jpg)
