It is pertinent to know that you can only try to be at peace with all men while you ensure that you are at peace with yourself. The saying “be at peace with all men” is relative to every individual because we are all from different backgrounds of diversified cultural heritages.
“All men” as used in this context means everyone. Being at peace with all men is dependent on how an individual interprets the word “peace” I.e you can be at peace with all men going by the intention of your action and by that same action of yours, you may be perceived differently from being at peace with all men because the interpretation of the impact of your action on another individual may be opposite in meaning to what your real intention is.
The moral of this article is to be at peace with yourself, as it is the only area you have control over and can direct at will. Considering the cultural diversities, religious and ethnic divergence; educational differences, it plays safe to do reasonably in all areas of life and allow one’s conscience to be the active check instructor on any controversies of self. Naturally for men, It is easier to take corrections from one’s self instructor (conscience) and adjust where necessary than to get “malicious feedback” that was interpreted according to the impact that ones action had on the other individual. This is not to say that the maliciously perceived feedbacks are not correct, it may be very vital as a corrective measure for shut falls or weakness but in being at peace with oneself, there is not so much that the mind is willing to take or accept per time.
Please note, being at peace with oneself does not totally connote being a good person or doing a thing rightly, it is an expression of satisfaction in self. It is expected that being at peace with oneself should be a satisfactory zone having done good or right things; because what is good or right differs from an individual, it may be difficult to attribute being at peace with oneself to a good or right way to act and that is why emphasis is on conscience.
The conscience zone is a zone where the honest scorecard exists. One may choose to fight the conscience zone (honest scorecard) but it doesn’t take away the true position of what is humanly acceptable to one another.
To this end, because men interpret the action and react to them according to the impact it has on them, it may be near impossible to please everyone; thereby making it impossible to be at peace with all men.
In conclusion, stay true to yourself to be at peace with yourself.