Virtues of Character

 

Virtues of Character

Possessing positive character traits is essential in developing positive relationships with all people. Those who are able to demonstrate the essential virtues of character in their relationships with others have the best opportunity at being successful as people and happy in their relationships. Plato and Aristotl were of the conviction that ethics is fundamentally related to what kind of persons we are and here are the core values commonly used to define one's character.

Trustworthiness: Ethical people are worthy of trust and trustworthiness means being honest, having integrity, keeping your promises, and being loyal.

Respect: We must respect ourselves and remember that every person has the right to our respect.

Responsibility: We must be accountable for our own actions, practice self-restraint, and always do our best.

Justice and Fairness: Fairness is one of the most difficult values, because sometimes it means doing the right thing even if others don't agree. We must try to do what we know is fair and just.

Caring: Caring is concern for the interests of others.

Civic Virtue and Citizenship: Responsible citizenship means being involved in public service. This includes voting, reporting crimes, testifying as a witness, protecting the environment, and working for the candidate of our choice.

The virtues and vices that comprise one’s moral character are typically understood as dispositions to behave in certain ways in certain sorts of circumstances. For instance, an honest person is disposed to telling the truth when asked. These dispositions are typically understood as relatively stable and long-term. Further, they are also typically understood to be robust, that is, consistent across a wide-spectrum of conditions. We are unlikely, for example, to think that an individual who tells the truth to her friends but consistently lies to her parents and teachers possesses the virtue of honesty.

  

In the words of Jim Rohn "Character isn't something you were born with and can't change, like your fingerprints. It's something you weren't born with and must take responsibility for forming."