Most often we go through the world, looking not at our own actions but at what other people are doing, and then we react. But our reaction is still our kamma, it's not built into the way things are.

"Most often we go through the world, looking not at our own actions but at what other people are doing, and then we react. We feel that our reaction is a natural response, built into the way things are: When people do outrageous things, we feel we’re bound to get angry. But as the Buddha said, whether they’re outrageous or not, your reaction is still your kamma. You have to look at it that way.

So you have to ask yourself, “What kind of action would be skillful in a case like this?” It’s not the first thought that often comes to us. When you look around at the world, it’s hard to say, “It’s a wonderful world, everything’s fine, therefore I’m going to be good.” You have to realize that, okay, even though the world is a mess, and people are doing all kinds of horrible things to make it messier, still, for your own sake, you have to ask yourself, “What kind of actions can I do right now that would lead to good long-term results?” That’s what you’re responsible for, and that’s what you’re going to have to live with.

So regardless of what other people do, you’ve got to make sure that you’re in control of your choices. That’s one the reasons why we have that reflection on “I am the owner of my actions.” It’s to keep our heedfulness alive."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Death World"