This world is a bitter tree, it has only two sweet nectar like fruits – one is soft voice and the other is company of gentlemen.
Chanakya
Several philosophers have likened the world to all sorts of undesirable things. Some have projected it as a place full of suffering and pain, while others have been slightly more lenient with their words, comparing it to a labyrinth.
The truth is that any attempts at painting a completely negative picture of the world we inhabit are often motivated by one’s own negativity. As hard as it is to deny that our environment is getting increasingly corrupt, it is not devoid of things that make it worth living in.
One of them is humility. Humility is the weapon with which one can annihilate all enemies without picking up a sword. A soft-spoken person can win over just about anyone and everyone. This is different from flattery and sycophancy, which are borne out of a desire to get an undue favor in return. Humbleness has more to do with the goodness of one’s heart than a mala fide desire to get one’s way. People who respect everyone, irrespective of their behavior or opinions, are bound to be held in higher esteem than those whose eyes are blinded by power.
Good company is another such treasure. It is an oft-repeated, almost clichéd saying that a man is known by the company he keeps. It is not hard to judge a person’s moral and ethical standards based on the people they are friends with. As social animals, human beings generally associate with and relate to people they are similar to. Therefore, while a virtuous man will bond with righteous folks, a dishonest person is more likely to befriend crooked men.
Chanakya, also known as Kautilya or Vishnugupta, was an Indian philosopher, strategist and economist. The author of one of the world’s most ancient economic works, the Arthashastra, Chanakya once said: “This world is a bitter tree, it has only two sweet nectar like fruits – one is soft voice and the other is company of gentlemen.”