Quote by Samuel Johnson
There are minds so impatient of inferiority that their gratitude is a species of revenge, and they return benefits, not because recompense is a pleasure, but because obligation is a pain.
Summary
This quote suggests that some individuals have such a strong aversion to feeling inferior that they demonstrate gratitude as a form of revenge. They reciprocate benefits not out of genuine pleasure in repaying favors, but rather because they find the indebtedness of obligation to be painful. In other words, their expression of gratitude is motivated by a desire to assert superiority rather than a sincere desire to show appreciation.