Others are busy policing because the perfection they expect of others becomes a barrier to their own action because they expect that perfection of themselves. I have been one of those people expecting perfection. I know that through compassion for ourselves and others we can do better.

But that responsibility isn’t on any single individual. To expect an individual to know everything and get everything right all the time is counterproductive. Everyone is at a different point in their self-awareness journey. Some are focussed on listening and learning so they can do.

Not every comment deserves a reaction. Not every question deserves an answer. Remember that you are a human being with complex and nuanced life experiences, and are still not an all knowing being. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s expanding our understanding to build a better world for all.

We are pretty bad for ideological purity. But some of us are working on it. The only antidote is to talk to each other and really listen. It’s OK to be wrong. This self imposed expectation of perfection in ourselves hurts everyone.