āSkepticism enforces disciplineā but it cannot exist on its own. It must be part of a team because it is fundamentally ānon-generativeā. It is a razor that reduces. It does not build.
Popova paraphrases Dostoyevsky: It is our responsibility as human beings, to peer past the surface insecurities that drive people to lash out and look for the deeper longings, holding up a mirror to one anotherās highest ideals rather than pointing the self-righteous finger at each otherās lowest faults. We are inherently good despite the badness we sometimes put on like an ill-fitting suit to impress by imitating those we mistake for impressive. Dostoyevsky: āJudge [people] not by what they are, but by what they strive to become.ā
Lord Acton: ājudge talent at its best and character at its worst; suspect power more than viceā
When making a decision separate what you need from what you think you want. Then donāt be afraid to chase what inspires you (āa protagonist in your own movieā). I think of it as shedding to build.