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Meaning
The quote suggests that cruelty depends on keeping someone reduced to a simple idea rather than seeing them clearly as a person. Once you understand another person well enough, it becomes harder to treat them as an enemy or object. The second sentence turns the first into a paradox: understanding tends to limit the impulse to harm.
When It Was Said
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Who It Was Said To
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Historical Context
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Source
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Original Language & Translation
Originally said in English.
Did They Really Say It?
No source found on Wikiquote; listed as attributed to Gilbert K. Chesterton.
Did You Know?
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About Gilbert K. Chesterton
British writer and philosopher of the early 20th century, Gilbert K. Chesterton remains best known for his witty, paradox-laden essays and novels that blend Christian apologetics with social critique. His work spans fiction, poetry, and journalism, often exploring the tension between tradition and modernity with sharp, accessible insight.
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