“I say, old man, you’re developing something of a persecution complex, I’m afraid—” “That’s easy, when you’re… — Keith Laumer

Judge a chap on what he does, and not what he is, eh? None of us can help our natural tendencies—and perhaps overcoming one’s instincts is in the end a nobler achievement than not having the impulse in the first place.

I know it’s hard to grasp at first. I seem to recall I was a bit difficult to convince once. We are accustomed to thinking we know everything. There’s a powerful tendency to just disbelieve anything that doesn’t fit the preconception.

It was easy to see the mechanics of schizophrenia at work here. From wishing, it was an easy jump to believe.