"His argument with himself raged, but his self-interest won out." – John Biewen
This was a reference to Thomas Jefferson and his decision to continue enslaving people.
He knew it was wrong. He didn't feel that great about it. But he also didn't feel that bad about it either.
And since he was in a position of power and authority (legally, racially, economically, politically), the thought of what he would lose if he were do the right thing won out over doing the right thing.
But this isn't about Thomas Jefferson and slavery.
This is about you and the decisions you make every day. The decisions about how you treat people, how you talk to people, how you listen to people, how you empower people, how you amplify the voices of the silenced.
How you hire people. How you promote people. How you fight for people's rights and agency and autonomy and safety and opportunities.
How you risk your power, privilege, and social capital for the benefit of others.
Or how you don't.
How you either center your own narrative and needs and interests at the expense of the narrative and needs and interests of others.
This is about you. You having that argument with yourself enough times that it's no longer an argument.
And you just do what you know you're supposed to do.