About this quote

Choosing to spare rather than strike back drains the fuel out of a fight. Aggression feeds on resistance; met instead with mercy, an opponent has nothing to push against, and hostility that needed an enemy quietly loses its footing.

When to use it

• A shop owner who lets a caught shoplifter go with a warning sometimes turns him into a loyal regular.
• A driver who waves off a near-miss instead of leaning on the horn defuses a stranger's road rage on the spot.
• A parent who meets a child's furious outburst with calm care watches the tantrum fade faster than any punishment would.