One of the ways in which we can relate this play to life today is by examining the character of Macbeth. He has a number of flaws and is easily manipulated, and, even in the 21st century, we can learn from his mistakes. After he first speaks with the Weird Sisters and after he learns that he's been made Thane of Cawdor, he comes to believe, whole-heartedly, in everything they tell him. His friend, Banquo, however, is more circumspect, saying, "oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / The instruments of darkness tell us truths, / Win us with honest trifles, to betray 's / In deepest consequence" (1.3.135-138). Banquo is right to be suspicious of the witches' motives, and perhaps had Macbeth regarded them with greater caution (or listened to his friend's wise words), the play would not have ended so tragically.
Further, Macbeth is aware of his flaw of "Vaulting ambition," but he lacks self-awareness when it comes to other potential problems with his own character (1.7.27). For example, he seems unaware of the fact that his pride might be even a worse flaw than his ambition. He determines not to go ahead with Duncan's murder based on his ambition alone, but when his wife wounds his pride, he relents. She says, "When you durst do it, then you were a man"; in other words, he was a man when he planned to kill Duncan, but his reversal has rendered him a "coward" (1.7.56, 47). She goads him and scolds him and insults him, and he gives in to her relatively quickly. Again, he is surprisingly easy to manipulate, and his lack of self-awareness helps to cause his tragedy.
From Macbeth, then, we can learn to be more cautious in our dealings with others. A healthy dose of skepticism is not a bad thing. Moreover, it seems important that we develop an awareness of our flaws not only so that we can work to become better but also because it will help prevent us from being exploited or manipulated by others.
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