"Seeing my malevolent face in the mirror, my benevolent soul shrinks back"

This quote by Mason Cooley speaks with the duality of human nature. It recommends that while we may have a good-hearted soul, our external look can be rather different. The speaker is searching in the mirror and seeing a malicious face, which triggers their humane soul to shrink. This might be interpreted as a caution against evaluating individuals by their external look, as it does not constantly show their real nature. It could likewise be viewed as a suggestion that all of us have a dark side, and that it is important to be aware of it and not let it take control. Ultimately, this quote acts as a suggestion that we need to aim to be our best selves, which our external appearance does not always show our inner nature.