This reminds me of a dialog on Deep Space Nine back in season six, episode 25. The Sound of Her Voice. (I just finished re-watching the entire series)
(if you don't want to read the whole thing, the quoted in blue is the main part)
QUARK: I hope you're satisfied. I'm sure nothing gives you more pleasure than stifling my creativity.
ODO: Only you would consider barstools to be a form of artistic expression.
QUARK: Oh yeah? Let's see how creative you are. Have you picked out the Major's gift yet?
ODO: Gift?
QUARK: For this Saturday. You do know what Saturday is, right?
ODO: Saturday?
QUARK: Yes. It's the one month anniversary of your first date with Major Kira.
ODO: Oh. I suppose it is.
QUARK: And you haven't picked out a gift.
ODO: Why should I?
QUARK: The man's experienced unrequited love for the better part of three years and now that he finally has her, he wants to know why he should celebrate their anniversary.
ODO: Whatever you're trying to sell me, it won't work.
QUARK: You think I'm going to get involved? No, thank you. The last thing I want to deal with is a panicked lover looking for a gift at the last minute. There's a whole Promenade of shopkeepers out there if you want to buy a gift.
(Quark goes back to serving.)
ODO: A one month anniversary gift. Did you ever heard of anything so ridiculous?
(Odo looks at Jake, then leaves nonchalantly and starts shopping.)
JAKE: Okay, so now you have him looking for a gift. What are you up to?
QUARK: I tell you, you write it down, the next thing I know I'm in a holding cell.
JAKE: I won't write a word, I promise. This is just character research.
QUARK: Right.
JAKE: Quark, listen. I'm working on a crime novel but I've hit a wall in my writing. It's not truthful anymore. Phony, artificial. I'm having trouble creating real, flesh and blood characters, especially nefarious ones. If you could just let me just watch and listen as you pull off whatever it is you're going to pull off, it could really help me out. You could give me insight. I could even model my lead character after you.
QUARK: Lesson number one. No one involved in an extralegal activity thinks of themselves as nefarious.
JAKE: Sorry.
QUARK: I'm a businessman, okay? Now, if you're interested in learning more about my business, I think that could be arranged.
JAKE: Great.
QUARK: But nothing you see or hear turns up in print. And none of it, none of it gets back to your father, understand?
JAKE: Completely.
Basically, a thief doesn't see himself as a thief even though that is exactly what he is. People do not like to think negative about themselves and put blinders on and then make excuses to avoid the self-indictment .
Arguing the point is in the end, is pointless. It is what it is.
