"Men are more ready to repay an injury than a benefit, because gratitude is a burden and revenge a pleasure" -Tacitus
It is good to be good, nice and to say the truth. However, being good, nice and truthful all the time is foolish.
Nice people are taken advantage of all the time. Hence the expression, "Nice guys finish last." I know this from personal experience.
A child who speaks the truth all the time attracts bullies like shit attract flies. For truthful adults, their friends would avoid them like a deadly plague because they can't be trusted with secrets.
It took a while but now, I'm comfortable with being a "bad" person. I am quick to say "no" to requests that I don't want to do. No more bending over backwards to please others at my own expense.
According to Robert Greene in his book The 48 Laws Of Power, Gratitude is a burden and revenge is a pleasure. People are naturally ungrateful and forgetful. Forgetfulness - intentional or not is bad for favor doers.
With this in mind, it is smart not to give favors that would hurt you if the recipient of the favor later betrays your trust. Sure this sounds Machiavellian, but even the Holy Bible frowns upon giving gifts and favors with expectation of getting something back.
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