"La única cosa que no se somete a la regla de la mayoría es la conciencia de una persona."

The heart of this quote lies in the idea that our conscience—our inner sense of right and wrong—doesn’t follow the same rules as a democratic vote. It’s deeply personal and unmoved by what the majority might think. Your conscience is that voice inside you that tells you what’s right, even when everyone else might be saying something different.

To really get why this was said, you need to understand the historical backdrop a bit. This comes from Harper Lee’s "To Kill a Mockingbird." The story is set in the racially charged atmosphere of the American South during the 1930s. Atticus Finch, the character who says this line, is trying to explain to his children why he must defend Tom Robinson, a black man unjustly accused of raping a white woman, even though most of their community believes he’s guilty. The majority isn’t always right, and sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe in, no matter how unpopular it might make you.

Let’s break it down with a real-life example. Imagine you’re at work, and there’s a new policy being introduced. Everyone’s excited about it, but you’ve noticed a small but significant flaw—it discriminates against a particular group of employees. Your colleagues don’t see it, or maybe they do but choose to ignore it because the policy benefits them in other ways. What do you do? Do you go with the flow to keep the peace, or do you speak up? According to this wisdom, your conscience should guide you, not the majority opinion.

Here's a tip: start by really listening to that inner voice. Trust it. When you feel that something isn’t right, don’t dismiss it as just nerves or overthinking. Then, gather your thoughts and the courage to speak up. It might not be easy—actually, it probably won’t be—but that’s the point. Your conscience is there to push you towards the right thing, which isn’t always the easy thing.

Now, let’s paint a picture. Imagine a high school student named Alex. One day, Alex notices that some classmates are bullying a new kid at school. Most students either join in or look the other way, not wanting to become targets themselves. Alex feels that gnawing sense of wrongness. It’s uncomfortable. It would be so much easier to just stay silent and blend in with the crowd. But Alex’s conscience won’t let that happen. So, despite knowing it might make him unpopular, he stands up to the bullies and even reports the incident to a teacher. It’s tough, and Alex does face some backlash, but in the end, he knows he did the right thing.

Think about yourself in these situations. How many times have you felt that inner tug urging you to act differently from the crowd? Next time, instead of brushing it off, try listening to it. Maybe it’s at a family gathering where an insensitive joke is made. Or perhaps it’s at a community meeting where decisions are being made that you know will unfairly impact some people. Your conscience is your guide, and trust me, it’s a lot wiser than the loudest voice in the room.