Commonplace · Edition I · MMXXVI
Daybook
Home·§ IV
Daybook
Marcus Aurelius · Meditations, 2.1

Ignorance is not evil

Don’t be quick to label people evil.

The people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly. They are like this because they can’t tell good from evil.Meditations 2.1 · Gregory Hays translation · p. 17

Ignorance is not evil. It is a shame, but not evil. Most of what we label ignorance is either laziness, or more likely, a lack of access to knowledge. Most of what we call evil is simply ignorance.

Bottom line, don’t be quick to label people as evil. Listen, educate where possible, and have empathy for those who lack your understanding.

Castle Rock, CO
§§
Impression No. 194·Edition I