Any titles, money, or privilege you inherit are actually hindrances. They delude you into believing you are owed respect. - Robert Greene

See through their narrative and their shrewd attempts at distraction. They will often present themselves as holier-than-thou or as the victim of other people’s malice. The louder they proclaim their convictions, the more certain you can be they’re hiding something.

When you meet a swordsman, draw your sword: Do not recite poetry to one who is not a poet.

Absence diminishes minor passions and inflames great ones, as the wind douses a candle and fans a fire. La Rochefoucauld, 1613-1680 OBSERVANCE