About this quote

One betrayal, one cruel stranger, one corrupt official — it's tempting to let a single bad experience stand in for everyone. But a handful of failures is a poor sample of a species that also builds hospitals and rescues strangers. Holding on to the whole picture is what stops cynicism from hardening.

When to use it

• After being scammed online, someone reminds themselves most sellers on the platform are honest and keeps trading.
• A nurse treats a difficult patient without letting one abusive person sour her view of the whole ward.
• A traveler robbed abroad still credits the dozen strangers who helped him far more than the one who didn't.