It is not difficult to deceive the first time, for the deceived possesses no antibodies; unvaccinated by suspicion, she overlooks lateness, accepts absurd excuses, permits the flimsiest patching to repair great rents in the quotidian.

Summary

This quote highlights how easy it is to deceive someone who trustingly believes in the goodness of others. The first time someone is deceived, they are not aware of the potential for betrayal and are therefore more vulnerable. The analogy of antibodies suggests that the deceived individual lacks the defenses against being fooled and is therefore easily persuaded to overlook red flags, tolerate delays, believe absurd excuses, and accept superficial efforts to restore normalcy in their daily life.

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