Since I am a man, my heart is three or four times less sensitive, because I have three or four times as much power of reason and experience of the world -- a thing which you women call hard-heartedness. As a man, I can take refuge in having mistresses. The more of them I have, and the greater the scandal, the more I acquire reputation and brilliance in society.

Summary

This quote perpetuates sexist and patriarchal notions by suggesting that men naturally possess less empathy and more reason than women, leading to a supposed "hard-heartedness." It continues with the misogynistic idea that men can seek comfort in having multiple mistresses, using scandal and notoriety to gain social standing and prestige. This prejudiced perspective disregards the importance of empathy and meaningful connections, while reinforcing harmful gender stereotypes and unequal power dynamics between men and women.

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