"What I have known with respect to myself, has tended much to lessen both my admiration, and my contempt, of others"

In this quote, Joseph Priestley offers a reflective insight on self-awareness and human relationships. The declaration, "What I have known with regard to myself, has tended much to lessen both my appreciation, and my contempt, of others", reflects a profound understanding of humanity and the impact of self-knowledge on our understandings of others.

Priestley recommends that through deep self-questioning and self-knowledge, one acquires a more balanced and nuanced view of others. By understanding one's own strengths, weak points, predispositions, and flaws, an individual is likely to establish humbleness. This humbleness moods both admiration and contempt for others. When we recognize that we ourselves are complicated and fallible, we are less most likely to put others on pedestals or to look down on them with disdain.

Appreciation, in the sense of blind idolization, can decrease as we recognize that all people grapple with obstacles and imperfections. Acknowledging personal shortcomings may expose that those whom we admire are not foolproof however human, similar to ourselves. This awareness promotes a much healthier appreciation for others, rooted in truth rather than idealization.

Conversely, self-awareness lessens contempt due to the fact that it motivates empathy and understanding. By acknowledging our own faults, we cultivate a sense of empathy toward the struggles and failures of others. We begin to see that just as we have factors and contexts for our actions and beliefs, so do others.

Ultimately, Priestley's reflection underscores the importance of self-knowledge in developing more fair and compassionate connections with others. It is a recommendation that comprehending ourselves more deeply inevitably shapes the way we view and connect with the world around us. This self-awareness eventually results in a more fair assessment of others, stabilizing appreciation and contempt with much deeper compassion and reasonable appreciation.