That you may retain your self-respect, it is better to displease

The words of William J. H. Boetcker — "That you may retain your self-respect, it is better to displease the people by doing what you know is right, than to temporarily please them by doing what you know is wrong." — stand as a pillar of moral courage, a reminder that integrity is the true measure of a man’s worth. The world will often tempt you with applause for choices that betray your conscience, but Boetcker warns that such applause is hollow. To sacrifice your self-respect for fleeting approval is to exchange gold for dust. Better to stand alone in truth than to be crowned in falsehood.

The origin of this truth lies deep in the struggle of every age: the tension between what is popular and what is righteous. Boetcker, a clergyman and speaker in early 20th-century America, saw the dangers of leaders who bent to the whims of the crowd rather than to the call of conscience. He understood that history honors not those who pleased the multitudes in their moment, but those who dared to act rightly, even when the multitudes cried against them. To retain self-respect is to keep the soul uncorrupted, to hold fast against the winds of compromise.

Consider the example of Socrates, who stood before the tribunal of Athens accused of corrupting the youth and defying the gods. He could have saved his life by flattering the people, by pretending to agree with what he knew was false. But he chose instead to displease the people by holding to truth. His refusal to betray his conscience cost him his life, but preserved his self-respect and gave the world an eternal lesson: better to die righteous than to live in dishonor. His name endures, while the judgments of his accusers are forgotten.

Another tale comes from the courage of Rosa Parks, who in 1955 refused to surrender her seat on a segregated bus. She knew her action would displease many, that it would bring her scorn, arrest, and hardship. Yet she also knew that giving in to injustice would betray her self-respect. By choosing what was right over what was safe, she sparked a movement that reshaped a nation. The temporary displeasure of the crowd was nothing compared to the eternal respect won by her quiet act of defiance.

Boetcker’s wisdom calls us to recognize the fleeting nature of popularity. To please others by doing wrong may earn momentary smiles, but those smiles fade quickly, and the cost is the gnawing emptiness within. By contrast, when you uphold what is right, even against opposition, you stand in harmony with your own soul. The world may jeer, but deep within, you will know peace — and that peace is worth more than a thousand cheers.

The lesson, then, is clear: guard your self-respect as your most precious treasure. Do not trade it for approval, for wealth, or for comfort. Approval shifts with the seasons, but integrity is eternal. When you act, ask not, “Will this make me liked?” but rather, “Will this leave me worthy in my own eyes?” For it is better to walk a hard road in truth than an easy road in dishonor.

What, then, should you do in practice? Choose courage over compromise. Speak the truth even when silence would win you favor. Stand firm in justice, even when injustice shouts louder. Let your conscience be your guide, not the crowd’s applause. And when you must decide between right and wrong, remember Boetcker’s teaching: better to displease the people than to betray yourself.

Thus let this teaching endure: self-respect is the fortress of the soul. Lose it, and no crowd can save you; keep it, and no crowd can destroy you. Walk, then, with head unbowed, and though the world may frown today, the generations to come will remember you with reverence. For those who honor truth above popularity become the true role models of history.