A gentleman is likened to righteousness, and a villain is likened to profit
The fundamental reason is whether there is a central idea. Confucius said: "A gentleman's righteousness is regarded as a quality, and etiquette is used to practice it." What should not be done? All gentlemen act after "righteousness and comparison". A gentleman turns things around.
Villains use external things as standards and references, and they mainly judge by profit. When they act, they do not act according to righteousness, what should or should not be done, but according to what is beneficial or not, and whether there is more profit but less profit. The villain is influenced by things.
A gentleman acts according to "righteousness as a quality", so he can do the following: "Being rich and noble through unrighteousness is like a floating cloud to me"; "The robe is the same as the one who wears fox and raccoon clothes, and the one who is not ashamed." It is precisely because a gentleman has established his own inner standard - righteousness, that he can be "tame but not arrogant". ”, “If you look inward and feel no guilt, you will have nothing to worry about and nothing to fear”, “A gentleman seeks everything from himself, while a villain seeks everything from others”, etc. The differences are all due to this difference in intention when acting, and a gentleman and a villain can distinguish themselves.