T

July    18th

EACH    THE MASTER  OF  THEIR   OWN DOMAIN

“My reasoned    choice  is  as  indifferent to  the reasoned    choice  of  my  neighbor,   as  to  his breath  and

body.   However much    we’ve   been    made    for cooperation,    the ruling  reason  in  each    of  us  is  master

of  its own affairs.    If  this    weren’t the case,   the evil    in  someone else    could   become  my  harm,   and

God didn’t  mean    for someone else    to  control my  misfortune.”

—MARCUS AURELIUS,   MEDITATIONS,    8.56

he foundation of a free country is that your freedom to swing your fist ends where someone else’s
nose begins. That is, someone else is free to do what they like until it interferes with your physical
body and space. This saying can work as a great personal philosophy as well.
But living that way will require two important assumptions. First, you ought to live your own life in
such a way that it doesn’t negatively impose on others. Second, you have to be open-minded and
accepting enough to let others do the same.
Can you do that? Even when you really, really disagree with the choices they’re making? Can you
understand that their life is their business and yours is your own? And that you’ve got plenty to wrestle
with yourself without bothering anyone else?