The phrase "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" has come to mean something different than was originally intended. In the West, the proverb see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil means to turn a blind eye to something that is legally or morally wrong. In this case, a person who will see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil pretends that he has not witnessed wrongdoing, and therefore abdicates all responsibility in righting a wrong.