You must bear in mind that each law is circumstantial. It does depend on the circumstances.

Few are born bold. Even Napoleon had to cultivate the habit on the battlefield, where he knew it was a matter of life and death. In social settings he was awkward and timid, but he overcame this and practice boldness in every part of his life because he saw its tremendous power, how it could literally enlarge a man(even one who, like Napoleon, was in fact conspicuously small).

All masters want to appear more brilliant than other people.

Never waste valuable time, or mental peace of mind, on the affairs of others—that is too high a price to pay.

What's good for me is certainly not good for other people.

Lord, protect me from my friends; I can take care of my enemies.

The idea of social performance, that we're always performing identities, is something I got fairly obsessed with. I think it's probably because I am a person who went to 15 different elementary and middle schools. I moved all the time, often having to run out in the middle of the night because my mom couldn't pay the bills. There were schools where I'd be the poor loser kid. There were schools where I'd suddenly be the smart kid or the cool kid, although that was very seldom.