We read in many major systems of morality throughout history about an idea so eloquently outlined in the Bible. This idea is that we should not be bothered by the speck in our brother’s eye, because we have a beam in our own eye we should be focused on getting rid of.
It’s very easy for us to see the evil in others and to point out the bad people “over there.” But when it is time to honestly assess ourselves, we extend all manner of charity over our bad behavior.
As Solzhenitsyn puts it, “The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.”
We always seem to make it onto the good side of the fence, but maybe we should be a little more critical of our own behavior.