How we cite our quotes: Section.Part (if applicable).Paragraph
Quote #7
When a man denominates another his enemy, his rival, his antagonist, his adversary, he is understood to speak the language of self-love, and to express sentiments, peculiar to himself, and arising from his particular circumstances and situation. But when he bestows on any man the epithets of vicious or odious or depraved, he then speaks another language […] which he expects all his audience are to concur with him. (IX.I.6)
This quote sums up the difference between the personal and the social. When someone sees another person as an enemy or rival, they've got a private score to settle. However, once they class someone as vicious or immoral, they're not just saying that they have a beef with them—they're making a judgment about this person's character and behavior, and they expect us to nod and say "you're so right!"
Quote #8
Whoever has a high regard and esteem for me flatters my vanity; whoever expresses contempt mortifies and displeases me; but as my name is known but to a small part of mankind, there are few who come within the sphere of this passion, or excite, on its account, either my affection or disgust. But if you represent a tyrannical, insolent, or barbarous behaviour, in any country or in any age of the world, I soon carry my eye to the pernicious tendency of such a conduct. (IX.I.7)
It's human nature to feel good about ourselves when others flatter us or to feel angry/upset when someone criticizes or looks down on us. The thing is, no matter how many friends we may have on Facebook, this is a tiny fraction of the human race. What about all the other stuff that goes on in the world? When we hear about brutality or oppression, even if it took place in a past age or a faraway country, we see it as bad. Sometimes, we have to go beyond our own private bubble to make a moral judgment.
Quote #9
By our continual and earnest pursuit of a character, a name, a reputation in the world, we bring our own deportment and conduct frequently in review, and consider how they appear in the eyes of those who approach and regard us. (IX.I.10)
Here, Hume points out that we don't just spend our days wandering around in our own private world, oblivious to how folk see us. Instead, we look at ourselves through other people's eyes and think about how we come across. This isn't always a good thing; especially if we start obsessing over what others think. On the flip side, though, it's by reviewing our behavior that we get an idea of how others see us and whether there's anything we need to work on.