This perspective is not unique to Mandela. Ancient philosophies, such as Stoicism, contended that ignorance rather than malice is often at the root of wrongdoing. In Marcus Aurelius’ *Meditations* (c. 170 AD), he reflects, ‘Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself what fault of your own most nearly resembles the one you are about to criticize.’ Such wisdom threads through many traditions, reinforcing the idea that compassion and understanding should guide our reactions to others' mistakes. [...]
