"Because to influence a person is to give him ones own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts or burn with his natural passions. His virtues are not real to him. His sins, if there are such things as sins, are borrowed. He becomes an echo of someone elses music, an actor for a part that was not written for him. The aim of life is self development. To realize ones nature perfectly- that is what each of us are here for. People are afraid of themselves, nowadays. They have forgotten the highest of all duties, the one owes ones self." — “the picture of Dorian grey” - Oscar Wilde (via 1887) (via my-ear-trumpet) (via louisemarianne)