Quote Originally Posted by Tellos Athenaios View Post
In the most simple theoretical cost/benefit terms, cruelty works only if you are undisputed and it is a cause for others to challenge you. There's a long term hidden cost.
Kindness just works and is a cause for others to support you. There's a long term interest.
What if someone is undisputed? And there may be a long term cost, but why not be cruel in an isolated instance that no one will remember (say, on vacation)? I think that's a problem with the "it goes around", karma, conscience explanations of why it's wrong. Can you show that there aren't a lot of people who do cruel things and don't regret it?