Learn English meaning of idiom 'mind one's own business'

@ Scienceboy, thanks :) This phrase has nothing to do with ignorance. It’s rather a reminder to balance the pros and cons for interfering in other peoples lives. Because we don’t always know the full story, do we?

Simply, you should mind your onwn business when it’s something personal to someone else and you’re not welcomed to share it with. And with the same easiness – theoritically – you need to get involved when it’s related to ethics. But most people prefer to mind their own business in all cases. 

I think i have shared with you this story about cheating. My cousin is a school teacher at Los Angeles Unified School . She caught red handed three teachers cheating on the exams, as furious as she was, she told them to stop or she would would go to the principal. It was of no avail, they didn`t back down. My cousing storm into the principal`s office and informed  what was going on in the school. The principal didn`t back up her. To summon up, my cousin had a nervous breakdown. 

@Buttafly

Thanks for sharing this amazing phrase

“Just because you could, doesn’t mean you should”

Most of the time I just mind my own business because I don’t like to get in trouble with others but, there are sometimes when you need to get involved because, as Jessica said in the dialog, is about ethics. I’m one of those persons that thinks that what others say about you shouldn’t be an obstacle for doing the right things, but maybe you need to investigate before telling something, it could be a misunderstanding… it’s pretty complicated indeed.

nowadays private life seems to disappear and we become more like public figures with social network. so its hard to tell to mind their own business , as all of us are in public already. lol

Then let me rephrase it, Olya. I admire your courage. I don’t have nay negative experiences with authorities. It is for sure a dog eat dog world out there. They’re just waiting to survive to wipe their mouth clean with napkins afterwards :)

I admire your balls, Olya. So often I had and still have to hold my tongue in similar situations. But I came to the conclusion that I am far better off if I leave that to those with  authority.

A long time ago I learned to take the back seat to let people make their own mistakes. This of course excludes those rare instances where my kids or friends ask me specifically for advice. Other than that, I am minding my own business. Viewing other people’s behavior or actions is a waste of time for me and really “none of my business”. I would change my stance only after I assessed a life-threatening situation.

We all have shortcomings. If I were Brian, there would be a lot of talking inside my head but I would not go to the professor to tell him about what I saw. There’s this phrase I like a lot when I am torn:

“Just because you could, doesn’t mean you should”

@s11211s ,i totally agree you that answer this question is a dilemma! what about most the students in the classroom were cheating.I will be the annoying person among students on account of telling teacher what i saw.I can’t stand people around me talking behind my back.

I’ve beening thinking getting involved and take a stand on ethic value will be the right way to slove problem instead of making it more complicated.That topic remind me a very famous movie named Scent of a woman.Charles refused to say who on earth arranged the whole trick.If we get everything connected with ethic ,after that ethic is no more ethic at all ,it is law.

As I thought, there will be no more comment on this lesson! because thinking about this topic and answer the question is a dilemma!

To be honest I have to say Brian shouldn’t tell the professor! Because on the exams students has no time to observe around! and students has no any responsibility about cheating of the other students! who is responsible of this afairs at the university is the professor and the other staff. In other word, today everyone has own business.

But in some situations if there is no one, who is responsible or who is in charge of such affairs, according to ethices we should get involved. I confess making decisions in this situations is so difficult and you should make decision very quickly and if you don’t do right work you will be under mental intense pressure fo ever!

well, sometime we should want to mind our own business , ethical values taught us we sholud handle the situation if it is going wrong we feel guilty. however, situation might be delimma to over come then we should not get involved.

i wish i could do, as brain did at that class, might be the guy didn’t prepared for exam :p  so he was cheating discreetly.

if something glancely going wrong then we should tattle-tale otherwise we should not get invovle.. (personal opinion) ;)

I agree with Jessica and Marni and think Brian should blow the whistle on the student who was cheating. 

Now, I’ll try and answer the question. When should I mind my own business, and when should I get involved? It’s really a dilemma, and may depend greatly on my ethical values and the amount of risk involved for me.