Nelson Mandela once remarked that he befriended his jailers, those grim, khaki-clad overseers of his decades of hard labor in a limestone quarry, by "exploiting their good qualities. " Asked if he believed all people were kind at their core, he responded, "There is no doubt whatsoever, provided you are able to arouse their inherent goodness. " If that sounds like wishful thinking, well, he actually did it.
Just because I tread heavily on propriety's toes doesn't mean I can't play the game when it's of use to me.