“Above all, keep a close watch on this — that you are never so tied to your former acquaintances and friends that you are pulled down to their level. If you don't, you'll be ruined… You must choose whether to be loved by these friends and remain the same person, or to become a better person at the cost of those friends… if you try to have it both ways you will neither make progress nor keep what you once had.”
- Epictetus, Discourses, 4.2.1;4-5
March 9, 2021 7:00 AM
“From good people you'll learn good, but if you mingle with the bad you'll destroy such soul as you had.”
- Musonius Rufus, Quoting Theognis of Megara, Lectures, 11.53.21-22
For better or worse, we are a reflection of the people we spend the most time with. We will raise each other higher or bring each other downward.
Our acquaintances may change as our seasons of life shift. We may need to make difficult decisions to disconnect. Often the disconnection is natural as we proceed in different directions.
Conclusion
Internal awareness requires a reflection on those around us. Our choice of friends speaks volumes about our virtues.