כל מה שהחוש המוסרי מתחדד, האדם רואה את מערומיו, ומרירות נפשו על ערכו המוסרי הבלתי מפותח מתגברת בקרבו, עד שלפעמים מר לו מאד. בכל זאת משכיל כל ישר לב לקבל באהבה תכונה זו, המזקקת את האדם, ומביאתו למדות יקרות ותכונות זכות, ועל זה נאמר, אשרי שאל יעקב בעזרו שברו על ד' אלהיו, דניחא להו לצדיקיא דמתברן גרמייהו בגין יקרא
דקודשא בריך הוא

קובץ ה אות ו

The sharper and more keenly perceptive a person's moral compass becomes, he sees more of his faulty ways, and his bitterness about his underdeveloped level of morality and goodness becomes stronger, to the extent that it is VERY BITTER for him at times. Nevertheless, all those of an honest heart are wise enough to receive this trait with love, as it purifies a person and brings him to precious middos and pure qualities . About this the pasuk says "Fortunate is the person that the G-d of Yaakov is helping him, his hope is to Hashem his G-d", as the Zohar Hakadosh says "It is pleasing for tzadikim to break [שברו - with a "sin" means hope but with a "shin" means break] themselves for the honor of the Holy One Blessed Be He".

 

My own perspective is that a great majority of society is NOT feeling bitter about their spiritual inadequacies and moral failings either because they don't know [low self-awareness levels] or don't care. [What is the difference between apathy and indifference? I don't know and don't care..] I believe that many of the readers of this blog ARE feeling bitter and down about their mediocrity and it is for you I post.... 

 

Some people don't like to learn mussar because they just don't want to deal with areas of weakness. Of course, mussar is PRECISELY what such people need.