Phil 115: Entry 11
The issue of who to act for is worth a second emphasis.

If we were to turn to ourselves and act for the good of our souls alone, them maybe the sadness of the human condition would not be so. The true tragedy of man is that he looks to others in order to see himself in their eyes. This really isn't necessary. Can man really grow without living life for himself? Montaigne seemed much happier than most other writers, perhaps because he realized all he needed to be happy was to be happy with what he thinks of his actions: "I am not so much worried about how I am in the minds of other men as how I am to myself. I want to be enriched by me not my borrowings from others... They do not see my mind: they only see the looks on my face." (p. 711)

One can only wonder how great a man like Montaigne must feel, comepletely sustained by his own self-worth. I'm afraid in our world, it's probably much harder than it was in his time to truly ignore the call of the Other. Can man be an island onto himself nowadays?