Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: Whatsoever any man either doth or…
Whatsoever any man either doth or saith, thou must be good; not for any man's sake, but for thine own nature's sake; as if either gold, or the emerald, or purple, should ever be saying to themselves, Whatsoever any man either doth or saith, I must still be an emerald, and I must keep my colour.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
Other people’s behavior does not set the standard for yours. If they are dishonest, you do not become more honest by resenting them; you become honest by telling the truth. If they are rude, your task is not to mirror their tone but to preserve your own character. Marcus compares goodness to an emerald keeping its color. An emerald does not turn dull because someone nearby is ugly. This is not passivity. You can confront wrongdoing, leave an unhealthy situation, or impose consequences. But do it without letting the other person recruit you into their worst habits. Social media makes this especially hard: outrage invites outrage, mockery invites mockery, and soon nobody remembers what they were defending. Today, when someone acts beneath your standards, use it as a cue to return to them. Their choices are their responsibility. Keep your own color.
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