A floral teacup nestles inside a ball of purple needle-like spines against mustard yellow.

Original artwork, not a still

Sydney J. Harris

When you run into someone who is disagreeable to others, you may be sure he is uncomfortable with himself; the amount of pain we inflict upon others is directly proportional to the amount we feel within us.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

Here's a theory about prickly people: their sharpness with others mirrors how uneasy they are inside. According to this view, the hurt someone hands out matches the hurt they carry, so rudeness becomes a clue to private discomfort rather than a fact about you.

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