The universe is a big place, perhaps the biggest. - Philip José Farmer

The trouble with you, Peter—one of the troubles—is you worry too much about other people's behavior. And you have too high ideals for them, ideals which you yourself don't try to live up to."
"I know I can't live up to them, so I make a no pretense," Frigate said.
"But it bothers me that others claim to have these ideals and to be living up to them. If I point out that they aren't, they get angry."
The little Moor chuckled. "Naturally. Your criticism threatens their self-image. If that were to be destroyed, they, too, would be destroyed. At least, they think so.

Everybody should fear only one person, and that person should be himself.

The plant-man said, ‘I’ve observed that when a human is dealing with another, he’s usually logical only if he’s advancing his self-interests or has a desire to hurt or put down the other. Is this one of those situations?