Constantly observe who those are whose approbation thou wishest to have, and what ruling principles they possess. For then thou wilt neither blame those who offend involuntarily, nor wilt thou want their approbation, if thou lookest to the sources of their opinions and appetites.
Pay close attention to whose approval you’re seeking—and ask yourself what really guides their thoughts and values. When you understand what drives them, you’ll see there’s no need to resent people who do wrong without meaning to. And more importantly, you’ll realize you don’t need their approval at all, because their judgment is shaped by values that may not be wise or virtuous.
