Consider the story of scholar Giordano Bruno. Exiled by the Inquisition in 1576, he found patrons throughout Europe, but always enraged them over trivial matters or was banned for his violent quarrels. He returned to Venice because he had nowhere else to go, and was burned at the stake in 1600. 

  Giordano Bruno

Many believe Bruno was exiled for his Copernicanism, but this was not even considered heresy until 1664. While we know of him today because of his belief in extraterrestrial life, he actually knew very little about astronomy, and his unlikability caused his downfall.

We suggest you take Bruno’s experience to heart: while you may consider your Bieber impersonations to be a capital truth, you must accept that it is your own personality that is in great need of improvement.

—Shallow Sage

(Click the “Ask” button for our Sage Advice)

In Ancient Rome, the citizens allowed to participate in the debates of the Forum were limited.  Women, for example, were not allowed, nor were Romans of lower classes.  The most objectionable presence in the Forum would have been those unfortunate souls forced to shelter beneath bridges, known as trolls.  

 Forum of Ancient Rome

In our internet forums today, however, it is difficult to keep out riffraff, as a quick glance at the comments section of ABC News immediately makes clear. 

If you cannot build your own private forum, then you must accept the difficult fact that you cannot educate these morons online. As Plato noted, Opinion derives from the shifting world of Sensation, a world you cannot yet convey by internet post. Knowledge itself cannot be recalled without the experience of the body.

—Shallow Sage

(Click the “Ask” button for our Sage Advice)