A quote
from Kant:
"There
is in human nature a certain disingenuousness, which, like everything
that comes from nature, must finally contribute to good ends, namely,
a disposition to conceal our real sentiments, and to make show of
certain assumed sentiments which are regarded as good and creditable.
This tendency to conceal ourselves and to assume the appearance of
what contributes to our advantage, has, undoubtedly, not only
civilised us, but gradually, in a certain measure, moralised us. For
so long as we were not in a position to see through the outward show
of respectability, honesty and modesty, we found in the seemingly
genuine examples of goodness with which we were surrounded a school
for self-improvement. But this disposition to represent ourselves as
better than we are, and to give expression to sentiments which we do
not share, serves as a merely provisional arrangement, to lead us
from the state of savage rudeness, and to allow of our assuming at
least the outward bearing of what we know to be good. But
later, when true principles have been developed, and have become part
of our way of thought, this duplicity must be more and more earnestly
combated; otherwise it corrupts the heart, and checks the growth of
good sentiments with the rank weeds of fair appearance."
(our emphasis)
Critique of
Pure Reason, p. 600, Immanuel Kant, 1781 - trans. Norman Kemp Smith
