# The object of life is not to be on the side of the... | Marcus Aurelius Quote

> Source: https://positivity.org/quotes/quote-marcus-aurelius-escape-ranks-insane

> The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

## What This Quote Means

Following the crowd is no guarantee of wisdom or virtue. What matters is thinking clearly and acting rightly, even if that means standing apart from popular opinion.

## About Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, considered one of the last good emperors of Rome.

Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) was a practitioner of Stoic philosophy who wrote his personal reflections while governing the Roman Empire during a period of constant warfare and plague.

## How to Apply This Wisdom

### Independent thinking

Question popular opinions before adopting them.

### Moral courage

Be willing to disagree with the majority when your conscience demands it.

### Critical evaluation

Judge ideas on their merits, not their popularity.

## Reflection Questions

- Where am I following the crowd without thinking critically?

- When has popular opinion turned out to be wrong in my experience?

- What beliefs do I hold simply because everyone around me holds them?

## More Quotes by Marcus Aurelius

> You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

> The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.

> Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.

> Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.

> When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive — to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.