In Stephen King's book "Carrie," a profound observation is made about human behavior. The idea conveyed is that individuals often lack awareness of the true impact their actions have on others. Instead of growing emotionally or morally, people merely become more adept at justifying their harmful actions, leading to a cycle of hurtful behavior without genuine improvement in empathy or kindness.

This commentary underscores a troubling reality: as people become more intelligent or cunning, they simply refine their rationalizations for their behaviors rather than changing for the better. The metaphor of pulling wings off flies illustrates a continued cruelty that doesn't evolve into compassion, but instead morphs into a more calculated form of malice, indicating a deep-seated flaw in human nature.