All seems infected that the infected spy as all looks yellow to the jaundiced eye.
The quote highlights how personal biases and perceptions can distort our understanding of reality. When someone is infected or corrupted in some way—whether morally, intellectually, or emotionally—there's a tendency to see the same flaws or signs of injury everywhere. The phrase "all seems infected that the infected spy" suggests that once you're tainted or compromised, you become unable to objectively assess situations or other people, projecting your own contamination onto others. The line "all looks yellow to the jaundiced eye" employs the metaphor of jaundice, a condition that causes yellowing of the skin and eyes, to symbolize how prejudice, bitterness, or baggage skew one's perception. When someone is jaundiced, their view is naturally tinted by their own condition, clouding their judgment and leading to a distorted reality. This interplay between perception and reality emphasizes that biases—whether stemming from personal pain, malice, or experience—can prevent us from recognizing honesty or truth. It serves as a reflection on human nature’s susceptibility to being influenced by internal states, reminding us to seek clarity and self-awareness. Shadows of our own imperfections or biases can make us interpret the world not as it truly is but through a lens colored by our own flaws. Ultimately, this quote underscores the importance of humility and self-examination when evaluating others, as our perspectives are often influenced by our internal states. Recognizing our biases enables us to strive for more objective understanding and interaction, emphasizing mindfulness and integrity in perception.