Good and Evil

Strange as it may seem, but it is a fact that whereas goodness produces hatred, evil produces friendliness. A scholar hates another scholar, a priest another priest, a poet another poet. They do not even want to see each other's face. But a gambler helps another gambler, a thief another thief and a drunkard another drunkard. Should a Panditji stumble in the dark and fall, the other Pandit will give him another two kicks to make sure that he does not get up at all. But look at two thieves. One will shelter and protect another. Everyone hates evil and yet evil produces mutual regard. Everyone praises goodness but goodness produces hatred. What will a thief get out of killing another thief except the wrath of his class, but doesn't a scholar expect to be more famous be running down another scholar?

- from Selected Short Stories by Premchand

This is from a story by Munshi Premchand. It sure does make one think!