See with your own eyes.
Whenever possible, see with your own eyes, touch with your own hands andMake your own judgments, and trust them.
The capacity for reason distinguishes us from the beasts. For us in this life, this side of transcendence or a Vingean Singularity, there is no higher mental state than awake, alert, sane and rational. It's true despite the fact that not everyone can achieve this.Stand tall and walk straight down the middle like you own the place.Things will happen and people will do things that don't always make sense. Never believe that your considered rational judgment is wrong until they prove it to you.
You'll get lied to. Time magazine will lie to you. Dan Rather will lie to you. The President of the United States will lie to you. Sometimes they're not even trying to lie, they're just plain wrong. Sometimes they even believe it.
One of the lies they will tell you is that can't do anything. If you believe that, if you let that paralyze you, if you don't do anything, what you want will never get done. You'll have plenty of time to do what they want you to do. Do something, however small, because if you do nothing, nothing is what's going to happen.
Primate dominance posturing--it's a mind game. Be aware of it and don't show them your fear. They can't handle it when you won't play that game.Any place you can't wear cowboy boots is no place you want to be.
Think about it. Any group of people so tight-sphinctered, cramped up, and bent out of shape that you can't wear a nice looking pair of shiny black pointy toed boots there, shouldn't be bothered with. You have better things to do with your life than mess with them.Bad things happen sometimes
and it's not always somebodies fault. When bad things happen little kids always try to find someone whose fault it is. It's not always clear. Blame is not a zero-sum game. Another thing you'll just have to get used to.
This is a corrolary of the following: Sometimes there are no good solutions. The Fall 'o Man -- that's one of the consequences.
Do the right thing
-- you'll be able to live with yourself better in the long term. "It feels right." is not good enough. The heart can be deceitful. Try to think ethically and morally.