The need for approval in the presence of a group or crowd can lead to social anxiety, inhibiting our ability to flourish. Stoic philosophy suggests that to tame this anxiety, we should reflect on the nature of a crowd. Seeing a crowd as a collection of individuals rather than an entity in its own right helps diminish the anxious need for approval. Whether the individuals in the crowd are impressive or not, their opinions are not in our control and should not be our concern. It is important to carry ourselves with integrity and accept whatever opinions others form of us.
“Most people can never, even for a moment, disentangle themselves from the restraints imposed by those around them, nor can they disregard their approval. From the moment they begin to understand their parents’ smiles and frowns they have needed the moment to moment approval of everyone, even strangers…These people measure their entire worth by what […]
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How to Stop Being a Slave to the Opinions of Other People first appeared on
Academy of Ideas.