-we are not responsible for our families -we should always encourage everyone to live self directed lives the best they see fit, regardless what we think about their decisions -the world exists outside your purview, without your permission–it always has and it always will -pity is a useless and selfish emotion -spite is just as useless but filled with poison for us and others. -at some point everyone should take responsibility for all of his or her decisions, good or bad, for better or for worse. -we do for others because they are people—not because we feel sorry for them, because we feel vindicated, because it gives us a chance to prattle on about our superiority, or because we know better. We do for others because they are people and, as a de-facto standard, they deserve to be treated like human