Inequalities will surely lead us to our doom if we are not careful. As you make progress in life, it is important not to forget about others and consider their perspective.
Our community has now outgrown our town, our country, our race, our religion - or non-belief. Civilisation means fighting against our evolutionarily programmed instinct of "us against them". We are all "us".
Being well rounded makes for better leaders, educators and citizens. The more we analyze and think critically, the more we can relate to others. education and experience create common ground for us all to build a better future.
Unlike dogmatic thinking, rational thinking requires that every idea can be questioned and must be rationally demonstrated. Only good ideas and accurate facts can stand the scrutiny of reason. Therefore, the best way to select and spread the best is to question them all.
Most of the time, truth is the best option. It is simpler, it respects the freedom and autonomy of the others, it makes you feel better, it allows you and the others to discuss on accurate premises. Even white lies are, more often than not, the worst choice
Sentient beings other than man have feelings and your actions are capable of produce pain and suffering to them. When deciding between an action that creates more pain and another one that creates less pain, take all sentient being into account, and choose the least pain
Different societal norms and cultural practices are not necessarily inferior just because they are different. Accepting this does not mean allowing injustice masked as tradition to go unchallenged
Characterizing intellectuals and scientists as ivory tower elitists or conspirators results in a society which doesn't value learning and mistrusts those who do. It leaves us unable to rationally address the challenges with which we are faced.