Tolerate bullshit

As long as it’s not coming from you

Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.

Marcus Aurelius

I’ve met many people who govern others and yet have no governance over themselves. You have no control over another Individual, but you have all of the control over yourself. If someone near you acts recklessly, gives into their impulses, and perhaps even influences others to partake in their behavior, do not give yourself the same leniency you have for their actions. Let them see to it with their efforts; that is their life, but hold yourself to a standard regardless of influences, and never break away from these guiding principles. If everyone is doing it, does that make it right? Social psychologists describe herd mentality as the ability to be influenced by the majority. If you know the truth, don’t back down from the group of friends screaming at you. They can live in ignorance; one can tolerate that, but for ourselves to knowingly choose ignorance is intolerable. Socrates uttered before a crowd at his trial, among which would see to it he was sentenced to death, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”