Montaigne: Don’t Care About What You Are to Others

”I do not care so much what I am to others as I care what I am to myself.”

We live in a world where external validation dictates our self-worth. Isn’t that a shame? That’s something the French Renaissance philosopher, Michel de Montaigne, talked about hundreds of years ago.

This isn’t a new problem. After all, social media magnifies our inferior feelings when we see so many rich and perfect people every day.

No matter where you go for your content, whether that’s Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Netflix, you’re exposed to the lavish lifestyles of people. Think about it. Why would those platforms feature normal people with normal lives?

No one cares. We care about the out-of-the-ordinary things. That’s always been true.

As a result, we’re too focused and engrossed with the lives of others.

Montaigne emphasized the importance of cultivating a strong sense of self. Montaigne wrote:

”I do not care so much what I am to others as I care what I am to myself.”

This idea encourages us to embrace our authentic selves and focus on our own well-being, rather than seeking validation from external…