“We consider morality to be the vast realm of social actions, intentions, emotions, and judgments aimed at providing benefits (and preventing damage) to people, society, and the world beyond the self.”
– William Damon
Nelson Mandela used his 27 years in prison to “educate himself and other inmates, sharpen his capacities as a moral and political leader, and work successfully toward the overthrow of the apartheid regime.”
The 3 qualities of Moral Commitment:
1. Truthfulness
“When people fail to look honestly at themselves, when they are arrogant, dogmatic, and closed-minded, when they are unwilling to consider the critical feedback of others, they will be unlikely to continue learning and evolving morally over time.”
– William Damon
Confucius considered honesty to be the primary source of love, communication, and fairness in human relationships.
2. Humility
Serving a purpose beyond the self.
“Humility is a virtue of self-understanding in context, acquired by the practice of othercenteredness.”
– Lisa Fullam (theologian)
3. Faith
“Faith means believing in something. Without faith of some kind, it isn’t possible to have a sense of meaning, direction, or purpose in life. Without faith, it wouldn’t make sense to expect (or keep) commitments.”
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“In judging our progress as individuals, we tend to concentrate on external factors such as one’s social position, influence, and popularity, wealth and standard of education…
But internal factors may be even more crucial in assessing one’s development as a human being. Honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, pure generosity, absence of vanity, readiness to serve others— qualities which are within easy reach of every soul—are the foundations of one’s spiritual life.”
– Nelson Mandela
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“Most of us have clearer strategies for how to achieve career success than we do for how to develop profound character.”
– David Brooks
We try to build high towers without a stable ground.
And one day… “A humiliating gap opens up between your actual self and your desired self.”
DANIEL GALOVAN 