affairs of others

As much as one would like to meddle in the matters of people, one must also be aware as not to get into the subject of conversation too much. By this, it is meant that no one has a right to personalize other people’s matter, using it as a subject of conversation, passingly, either to demonstrate how knowledgeable they are or to laugh at someone else’s indolence, faults, and such. Such idle talk will only waste your own time, make you although well-conversed; you shall become sly-tongued, omit and edit as you like. In other words, you cut, paste and twist stories according to your understanding, or to your desire.

If possible, talk only when you have to, don’t make a scene out of it, create not noises that would require another to shun it with another noise. Do not talk of people who have nothing to do you or the person spoken to. Do not pretend your ideals will become realities in order to delude yourself.

One should become acquainted with oneself before being acquainted with another. While it is most possible for another to describe you, outwardly, superficially, of the actions and behavior you exemplified in front of them, it is impossible for them to truly know your deepest thoughts.

People exhibit different sets of behaviors to different sets of people; be it parents, new friends, childhood friends, teachers, strangers. We wear many masks, we mould them according what we see as fit to a specific person, and it is impossible for another being to recognize each of everything. Never say “I understand” or “I feel for you”. You only assume so.

And this is precisely why you should never talk of other people’s affairs when it does not concern you. What’s best is to remain silent.