"One's days were too brief to take the burden of another's errors on one's shoulders. Each man lived his own life, and paid his own price for living it" (p. 194). So observes Dorian after running into Adrian Singleton at the opium bar after briefly considering the role Basil accused him of playing in the young man's disintegration.
Yet is this true? At what point does personal responsibility begin and external influence end?
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External influence is what defines what we do. Our experiences determine how we react to external stimuli. Unless it happens very early on in a person's life or is explicitly ordered or stated, one cannot be held completely responsible for influencing anyone. Saying "Do drugs, I haven't been hurt by it" makes one very accountable, but if someone sees you taking drugs after you have been really, really lucky, you cannot be held too responsible for what they do.
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