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Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.

Xunzi

If the impulse to daring and bravery is too fierce and violent, stay it with guidance and instruction.
XUNZI

Bravery Daring Fierce Guidance Impulsive Instruction Stay Violent
Human nature is what Heaven supplies.
XUNZI

Heaven Human Nature Supply
If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity.
XUNZI

Deep Ease Foresight Knowledge Penetrate Sincerity
If the quickness of the mind and the fluency of the tongue are too punctilious and sharp, moderate them in your activity and rest.
XUNZI

Activity Fluency Mind Moderate Punctilious Quickness Rest Sharp Tongue
Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.
XUNZI

Disagree Good Human Nature Mencius
Man’s nature is evil; goodness is the result of conscious activity.
XUNZI

Activity Conscious Goodness Man Nature Result
Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same; conversely the petty man is loathed all the same.
XUNZI

Capable Conversely Gentlemen Love Petty Same
If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one’s desires are many, what harm would they be to good order?
XUNZI

Approve Conform Desire Even Good Heat Many Order Pattern Proper
Misery is evil; quarreling, a misfortune. There is only one possibility of avoiding both: a clear division of society. [Otherwise] the strong tyrannize the weak, the intelligent frighten the stupid, the inferior resist the superior, and the young mock the old.
XUNZI

Evil Misery Misfortune Quarrel
The nature of man is evil; what is good in him is artificial.
XUNZI

Artificial Good Man Nature
Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.
XUNZI

Cause Goodness Human Intentional Moment Nature Study
If the gentleman has ability, he is magnanimous, generous, tolerant, and straightforward, through which he opens the way to instruct others.
XUNZI

Ability Generous Gentlemen Instruct Open Other Straightforward Toearnt Way
If you wish to see the thousand years, look at today; if you wish to understand the millionfold, then look at the one or the two.
XUNZI

Look Millionfold One Thousand Today Two Understand Wish Year
If the blood humor is too strong and robust, calm it with balance and harmony.
XUNZI

Balance Blood Calm Harmony Humor Robust Strong
The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.
XUNZI

Attempt Erson Get Nowhere Once Road Travel
If there is no dull and determined effort, there will be no brilliant achievement.
XUNZI

Achievement Brillant Determine Dull Effort

Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.

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Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.

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