We have a responsibility to act on our own

and not wait for instructions on what to do.

While it can be tempting to leave everything up to someone else, especially someone who is knowledgeable and whom we respect, we still remain responsible for our own behavior. And it is our responsibility to do what is right even when initially we feel unsure just what right is.

As long as we remain part of this world, it is our responsibility to be informed. To understand the phenomena that we interact with. And then apply the ethical principles that we have learned to decide whether or not to do something. And, if yes, then how best to proceed.

This is why we study and examine those principles—to be able to use fundamental truths (for example, do no harm) in new situations. But if we remain uninformed, we will remain oblivious to the harm we perpetrate. So we cannot wait for someone to hand us instructions for every situation we encounter.

We need to educate ourselves and determine how best to act.