Thich Nhat Hanh says, “Profiting from others’ superstitions is not Right Livelihood.” This caught my attention because it speaks to a broader principle of compassion: don’t aim for people’s weak spots. If someone is fearful, or anxious, we can find plenty of ways to make money off of their emotions. But profiting from unhealthy emotions doesn’t feel like the moral thing to do, does it?

Unfortunately, I fear much in society falls into this category. Half the advertising budgets seem to be gunning for our weaknesses, preying on how we feel bad about ourselves or worried about our futures. It’s even worse when they target what we long for and hope for. When all advertising aims at desire, I guess we should expect this. (And maybe it’s unavoidable.) But I bet we can figure out how to do it in a way that doesn’t amplify the kinds of emotions we want to see less rampant.

I think of fear, particularly. We live in such a fearful society. So many people take up arms (literally and figuratively) because they are afraid, and because they don’t know how to handle it. If we seek to be bodhisattvas who benefit the world and try to reduce suffering, it seems only natural for us to avoid doing anything to stoke fear in others.

Of course, some fear is natural and necessary. We can’t be dishonest about climate science or the rise of hate crimes and white supremacy and nationalism. These are real threats, and we should be worried enough to be spurred into action. Which is where Thich Nhat Hanh’s emphasis on superstitions is particularly helpful. He doesn’t mean all fears. He means: don’t aim at the place where people are personally vulnerable because of some internal struggle they may be experiencing.

We can likely find many self-help books guilty of this. Overblown promises, targeting the most vulnerable issues people face. Any overblown promise that sounds too good to be true? That’s not Right Livelihood. That’s a quick scam.

If I can speak close to home for many, I think this also means we need to consider the kind of theology we espouse in our places of worship. Gaining participants out of fear or anxiety, or by stoking a sense of unworthiness, is not just unkind. It’s unjust.

Don’t profit off superstitions. Don’t aim for the weak spot. Do not hit people when they’re down, or make money off of them when they are vulnerable.

And also- don’t fall for this yourself, either. See when someone or something gets you all up in your emotions. Step back and consider if what they are saying is worth your time, money, and attention before you proceed.

I believe we have an innate intuition about whether someone has our best interests at heart. Make sure you check in with it. And ditch what doesn’t pass the test.

This post is part of my series on practicing the Eightfold Path. Read all my posts on Right Livelihood here.