In countries with a properly functioning legal system, the mob continues to exist, but it is rarely called upon to mete out capital punishment. The right to take human life belongs to the state. Not so in societies where weak courts and poor law enforcement are combined with intractable structural injustices.

Meaning: Constant movement or change can prevent someone from accumulating lasting commitments, resources or attachments. Whether that is a loss or a benefit depends on what the person values.

Meaning: Painful teeth are compared to troublesome tenants: something housed within your own place can become a persistent source of discomfort.

Meaning: A difficult period can reveal how a friendship responds to strain. Practical care and reliability may become clearer when support requires effort rather than easy company.

Meaning: Difficulty can expose weaknesses that praise or favourable circumstances leave unnoticed. Adversity is pictured as an unflattering observer, inviting an honest assessment without making hardship necessary for growth or a complete test of someone’s character.