one of my favourite cartoon strips is called ‘Pearls Before Swine’ and in this one i think Stephan Pastis nails it on the head [the premise is rat who is a cynical and mean character rediscovers the chest in the attic where he locked his conscience many years before]:

[For another great Pearls Before Swine moment, this time involving a mini-thesis from me on being Facebook poked, click here]