“The only difference between man and man all the world over is one of degree, and not of kind, even as there is between trees of the same species. Wherein is the cause for anger, envy or discrimination?”
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Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: Attributed to Gandhi (on human equality); echoes his Harijan-era writings; no dated primary confirmed and the source text has a defect.
About this quote
Anger, envy, and contempt usually rest on a hidden belief that some people are fundamentally lesser. Drop that assumption and read differences as variation within one kind, and the fuel for those reactions quietly runs out, leveling how you treat everyone.
When to use it
- A team lead treats the office cleaner and the visiting director with the exact same warmth.
- Instead of resenting a wealthier friend's new house, someone lets the envy go and stays glad for them.
- Parents make a point of not casting their children as the smart one and the difficult one.