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A man who is truthful and does not mean ill even to his adversary will be slow to believe charges even against his foes. He will, however, try to understand the viewpoints of his opponents and will always keep an open mind and seek every opportunity of serving his opponents.
Mahatma Gandhi
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Being truthful fosters understanding and compassion, even towards adversaries.

This quote by Mahatma Gandhi emphasizes the importance of truthfulness and open-mindedness in our interactions, particularly with people we may consider our enemies. A truly honest person, who seeks to understand the perspectives of others and holds no ill will, will be cautious in judging or believing negative accusations about their adversaries, choosing instead to approach situations with empathy and a willingness to serve others.

Themes

TruthfulnessUnderstandingOpen-MindednessCompassionAdversaryService

In practice

Example use cases

In a debate about political opinions, one might use this quote to encourage respectful discourse.

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