As a break from the heavy thoughts about heavy matters that have dominated my commentaries in recent days, I thought I’d share with you a list of interesting observations I’ve collected over the years. I don’t know the original source of these quips, but it definitively isn’t me.

• According to a recent study, five out of four people have trouble with fractions.
• If quitters never win and winners never quit, what fool came up with "Quit while you’re ahead"?
• If it’s true that we’re here to help others, then what are the others here for?
• Every good company wants employees to take risks…as long as everything turns out okay.
• No one ever says "It’s only a game" when their team is winning.
• If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
• Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn’t zigzag?
• Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.
• If ignorance is bliss, why aren’t more people happy?
• To vacillate or not to vacillate, that is the question…or is it?
• Be nice to your kids. They will choose your nursing home.
• If women can have PMS, then men can have ESPN.
• When blondes have more fun, do they know it?
• Remember, half the people in the world are below average.
• What happens if you get scared half to death twice?
• If a bus station is where a bus stops and a train station is where a train stops, why do companies have work stations?

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (3)

It’s in the news all the time: Kids are cheating in school in new ways and in unprecedented rates.

One of the reasons is the way schools and parents deal with or ignore the underlying issues of integrity and character. For instance, one of the most popular things adults say to discourage kids from cheating is: “You’re only cheating yourself.”

Of course, cheating damages credibility and character, but it’s also flat-out wrong because it’s dishonest and unfair. Cheaters don’t just cheat themselves. They cheat everyone affected by it, including honest students who are put at a competitive disadvantage and college admission officers and employers who think students’ grades accurately reflect competence. What’s more, cheaters dishonor their families, teachers, and schools.

When we try to tell kids that when they cheat, they’re cheating themselves because they don’t learn the material, we have to remember that most kids who cheat think what they’re asked to learn is unimportant. They’re quite comfortable not knowing the value of X or the capital of Zimbabwe. As to mastering skills, cynical and worldly-wise students believe learning cheating methods is more useful than learning the material.

Finally, it’s dangerous to promote self-centered, cost-benefit calculations regarding cheating in a way that ignores or minimizes the crucial moral issues of honesty and honor. Nearly two-thirds of all high school students cheat because they’re not afraid of getting caught and because they get better grades by doing so.

To address the problem, we must promote virtues like integrity, not self-interest, and tell kids that whether they get away with it or not, cheating is wrong. Of course, it helps if we really believe that.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (3)

One of the highlights of my life as a dad – and having five kids, I’ve had quite a few – occurred on a Saturday afternoon when I was taking my then 13-year-old son Justin and his friend Aaron to a movie. As we entered the theater, I noticed the ticket seller had undercharged me, so I asked the boys to wait a moment while I returned the money.

This did not please the boys, who were anxious to get choice seats.

Nevertheless, I endured hostile glares from people in line and even an annoyed reaction from the cashier, who corrected the mistake. When I returned, Aaron, who was exasperated because the prime seats had been taken, asked, “Why did you have to do that? It was her mistake, not yours.”

I was about to launch into a lecture on integrity when my son, who was also irritated, looked at his friend and said, “What did you expect him to do?”

Many years later, this memory is an uplifting reminder of the impact we have on the character of our kids. Hearing from my son that he expected me to be honest and knew I expected the same of him was like a pat on the back saying I’d done okay as a father.

My son, still one of the most honest people I know, realized that honesty is neither a convenience nor a choice. To a person who values integrity, it’s a habit.

When it comes to parenting, it’s hard to know what’s working and what isn’t, but one of the best rewards for attentive parenting is seeing something good in our children and knowing we played a part.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (8)

The Fourth of July should be more than a birthday celebration marked by fireworks. It’s a time to appreciate and honor the great democracy our forefathers created, including a profoundly wise system of Constitutional checks and balances.

Conflicting views of rights and responsibilities are unavoidable, but passionate disagreement and debate should strengthen rather than undermine our national commitment to peacefully and respectfully resolving differences. It doesn’t serve us well when our most cherished principles are assaulted under the banner of what some people call a “cultural war.”

The process of refining our definition of liberty in a manner that balances personal freedoms against various perspectives of a good society is continuous and endless. Every decade has seen momentous conflicts involving civil and religious rights, including prohibition, polygamy, pornography, capital punishment, euthanasia, abortion, and private homosexual conduct. In each case, court decisions pleased some and infuriated others.

I’ve disagreed with many majority decisions of the Supreme Court. Still, it’s unwise and essentially unpatriotic to attack the court system and vilify judges when we disagree with a judgment. And it’s arrogant to equate the intensity of our convictions with the likelihood that we’re right.

The issues that reach the Supreme Court are significant. But it’s vastly more important that we have and support a method of peacefully and thoughtfully resolving ideological rifts that threaten our ability to live together in respectful peace.

If we lose confidence in the wisdom or integrity of the judicial process and try to rig it so we’ll get the answers we want, we will all someday find ourselves on the other side of ideological tyranny.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (4)

A foundational principle underlying the American legal system is “It’s better that 10 guilty men go free than one innocent person suffer.” Many provisions of the Constitution seek to prevent arbitrary detentions and unjust convictions.

Among them are prohibiting coercive interrogation and protecting the rights to a trial by jury, a speedy trial, attorney representation, witness cross-examination, and remaining silent. In addition, we require the government to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This imposing array of prosecutorial hurdles is supplemented by habeas corpus, the right of every person to a court hearing to determine if confinement before trial is lawful.

Sadly, our commitment to the values underlying these legal procedures failed to withstand public fear and anger generated by the attack on Pearl Harbor. Under the banner of national security, more than 100,000 people of Japanese ancestry were confined in internment camps for three years without any hearing.

This is an important context to understand the controversy surrounding the recent split decision of the Supreme Court to grant prisoners at Guantanamo Bay the right to a habeas corpus hearing to determine whether the government has legitimate grounds to continue their confinement.

There are valid legal arguments about the applicability of the Constitution in this case, but the root of the issue is an ethical question about what we believe and what we stand for.

I hope we’ll have the courage to overcome our fears and stand by our historic commitment that every individual has the inherent right to be judged on facts, not fears, and evidence rather than suspicions.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (6)

My 12th Anniversary.mp3

The image of spreading light is a powerful metaphor for both warmth and wisdom that inspires and motivates people who want to be a positive influence in the world.

It is captured in the proverb urging us to light a candle rather than curse the darkness and in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s observation that “When a great man dies/For years beyond our ken/The light he leaves behind him/Lies upon the paths of men.”

There are two ways to bring light: ignite a flame that creates it or be a mirror that reflects it. As I begin today, my 12th year broadcasting these 90-second editorials, I acknowledge with both pride and humility the privilege to be both a candle and a mirror as I quote frequently from the profound thoughts of poets, philosophers, and others and invent or retell stories and parables.

That’s what a teacher does. I know from my mail that I irritate, and even infuriate, some of you – especially when I venture into an area thought to be political. I’ve been called “too liberal,” “too conservative,” “too religious,” “too secular,” “too righteous,” “too naïve,” and “just plain wrong.”

Fortunately, the sting of these accusations is soothed by occasional notes telling me that someone was inspired, encouraged, fortified, or comforted by something I said.

But my highest sense of satisfaction comes when I induce one of you to make an honest, objective, and rigorous self-examination of your character or most deeply held beliefs. Complacency about our own virtue and the tendency to confuse the intensity of our beliefs with the likelihood that we’re right are forms of self-righteousness that, along with ignorance and irrationality, perpetuate darkness in the absence of light.

Thank you for the honor of considering my thoughts, and please keep telling me what you think.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (11)

Learning-From-History.mp3

In a split decision, the Supreme Court recently ruled that people labeled as “enemy combatants” confined at the military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, must be given limited access to federal courts. Before I talk about the ethical issues involved, it’s helpful to review another major detention situation.

In 1941, a surprise attack by the Japanese government at Pearl Harbor brought our country into war and engulfed the nation in fear and hatred. In response, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, asserting special war powers, issued an Executive Order requiring all persons of Japanese ancestry living on the Pacific Coast of the United States to be forcibly confined in hastily constructed “War Relocation Camps.”

Ultimately, about 110,000 men, women, and children of all backgrounds were indiscriminately imprisoned in facilities that often lacked plumbing and heating. The Order applied to all residents who were at least 1/16th Japanese. Detainees were confined without the benefit of any process to determine whether they were actually a threat to national security.

Three years later, though the war was still raging, a Supreme Court ruling induced the President to release all the detainees. They were each given $25 and a train ticket home.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation that apologized for the internment, stating that the action was based on “race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.” Surviving detainees were awarded $1.2 billion dollars in reparations. In 1992, President George H. W. Bush issued another formal apology from the U.S. government and added $400 million in reparations.

There are parallels to that Executive Order and our reaction after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Looking back, who was right – President Roosevelt or Presidents Reagan and Bush?

Is there anything we can learn from this chapter of our history?

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

* As a footnote, the 2001 national budget decreed that the former Japanese detainee camp sites are to be preserved as historical landmarks to “forever stand as reminders that this nation failed in its most sacred duty to protect its citizens against prejudice…and political expediency.”

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (6)

Law, Politics, and Principle.mp3

In preparing a comment on the legal and ethical issues emerging from the detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists held at the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, I was surprised at how hard it was to find positive quotations on American law and justice. After all, our laws and legal system, however imperfect, are among our most noble and admirable qualities.

Our greatest contribution to world civilization is the Constitution and Bill of Rights, documents deeply rooted in core moral values demanding respect for human dignity and the right to justice, due process, and maximum personal liberty.

Although the Founding Fathers did a magnificent job balancing public needs and individual rights, controversial judicial interpretations are inevitable.

Those who say they’re strict constructionists, for example, generally support laws outlawing obscenity, libel, and death threats instead of insisting that the First Amendment, which declares that “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech,” is absolute.

Similarly, while many people favor strict interpretation of the right to bear arms, they support Supreme Court interpretations limiting the right to exercise one’s religion by upholding laws against polygamy and animal sacrifice.

If sticking to the exact letter of the law is impractical or undesirable, therefore, what principles should guide the Court’s interpretation of laws that deal with claimed violations of civil and human rights by non-citizen detainees? Do such individuals have the right to challenge the legality of their confinement and harsh interrogation methods?

These are legal issues with huge political implications. They’re also ethical issues that will test our commitment to the underlying principles that define us – to ourselves and the world.

More on that tomorrow.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (3)

Character Is An Essential Competence.mp3

If you were hiring a new CEO, what are the most important qualities you’d look for?

Surely you’d want a high level of demonstrated competence – knowledge, experience, intelligence, vision, communication, and relationship skills and the ability to motivate, manage, and solve problems. But what about qualities such as honesty, moral courage, accountability, and fairness?

Despite bold rhetoric about the indispensability of good character, many hard-driving organizations are willing to be flexible on character to get an exceptionally competent person.

Thus, many current scandals – in business, the church, and sports – have occurred because organizations compromised their principles by recruiting, retaining, or tolerating leaders with serious character flaws who generated costly accusations of wrongdoing and undermined trust, morale, teamwork, and loyalty.

I used to tell clients that competence and character were two separate aspects of intelligent employment decisions. Now I think it’s a mistake to disconnect them. Good character is an essential aspect of competence.

Long ago, Samuel Johnson said, “Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, but knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.” Warren Buffet updated that notion: “In looking for people to hire, look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. But if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.”

Since it’s easier to train a person of good character to do a job well than to develop character in a skilled but unprincipled employee, if you have to choose, hire for character and train for skills.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:23 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (4)

Cheating Isn't the Problem.mp3

Although rising cheating rates in schools have signaled that the hole in our moral ozone is getting bigger, the media seem to have just discovered there’s a problem. The latest student trick they’ve uncovered is the use of the Internet and cellphones.

This drives me crazy because the more we focus on all the clever ways youngsters cheat, the more likely we are to ignore the fact that the biggest single factor in escalating academic dishonesty is the failure of parents and teachers to diligently teach, enforce, advocate, and model personal integrity.

It’s adults, not kids, who have the greatest responsibility to create an ethical culture that nurtures the virtues of honor, honesty, and fairness. Part of that responsibility is to commit to the integrity of exams and grades. We can thwart high-tech exam cheating by old-fashioned low-tech methods:

• Don’t let students bring anything into the exam room that isn’t essential to the test.

• If calculators are necessary, assure that they’re emptied of any improper information.

• Prepare alternative forms of exams.

• Don’t give the same test to different classes throughout the day.

• Have an attentive adult proctor each exam by continually walking among the test-takers.

What message do schools send when these simple procedures are ignored?

The truth is, we’ll never solve the cheating problem until those who have the opportunity to instill values and shape attitudes of young people engage in thoughtful, systematic, and comprehensive efforts to promote integrity and prevent cheating.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (6)

Watch your thoughts; they lead to attitudes.
Watch your attitudes; they lead to words.
Watch your words; they lead to actions.
Watch your actions; they lead to habits.
Watch your habits; they form your character.
Watch your character; it determines your destiny.

These words of unknown origin tell us that our silent and often subconscious choices shape our future. Every aspect of our lives, at home and at work, can be improved if we use our power to think, reflect, and make conscious choices about our thoughts, attitudes, words, actions, and habits.

Instead, many of us think of ourselves as victims. We complain about our circumstances and what others did to us. Whatever psychological comfort there is in feeling powerless and blameless when things aren't going right, in the end, victims lead unsatisfied lives.

We're most vulnerable to victimitis when we're under the influence of powerful emotions like fear, insecurity, anger, frustration, grief, or depression. These feelings are so powerful, we believe our state of mind is inevitable. Our only hope is they will go away on their own. Yet it's during times of emotional tumult that using our power to choose our thoughts and attitudes is most important. We can't make pain go away, but we can refuse to suffer.

Even when we don't like any of our choices, we do have some -- once we realize we can take control. It isn't easy, but what we do and how we choose to feel about ourselves has a profound impact on the quality of our lives. Victims may get sympathy for a while, but that isn't enough.

Taking personal responsibility for our happiness and success can be scary, but the payoff is enormous. Although we can't make our lives perfect, we can make them better -- usually a lot better.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

* (Editor's note: The opening poem is widely attributed to Frank Outlaw on the Web, but we've found no confirmation that this is the correct source. Popular quotation books including Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, Roget's International Thesaurus of Quotations, and The Harper Book of Quotations don't include it or any reference to Frank Outlaw. In 2003, we received an e-mail message from a reader who claimed to have penned the verse and sent it in 1998 to members of an e-mail group of people living with lupus. Another e-mailer, however, noted that he first came upon the poem in 1996 at a workshop in the UK.)

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (6)

As Father’s Day approaches, I want to share an edited version of a letter sent to me years ago by listener Sergio Ferreira, who wrote it to his son.

Dear Son, When I was a teenager I wished, just as you do now, that my dad could be my best friend. However, it wasn’t until my time to be a father came up when I understood why my wish would never come true.

There is the big difference between a friend’s role and father’s role.

A father must provide his son constant love, economic subsistence, and an education. He must also protect and guide him, set a good example, and instill in him ethical and moral values so he may become a more responsible, self-sufficient, and compassionate human being.

A father who tries to be a best friend can’t be a real father. To be a friend is voluntary. It’s an option. To be a father is a privilege, but above all it’s a moral obligation.

My duty as a father is to give you what you need, not necessarily what you want.

When you were born, God gave me a blessing that has brought me great happiness. At the same time, he gave me a difficult mission – to be responsible for your moral development and well-being.

Some day you’ll understand the meaning of this letter. It will be one of the happiest days of your life – when you hold your first child in your arms. From that moment on, you’ll understand that being a real father is much more important than being a friend.

This is Michael Josephson wishing all fathers and their children a glorious day of mutual appreciation and understanding love.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 5:18 PM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (2)

During a seminar for teachers, I asked participants to share experiences that shaped their values. A Southern lady shared this story:

More than 50 years ago, when I was five, I was at my granddaddy's house in a dress and white gloves. He told me I could go into the kitchen and get a cookie. Next to the cookie jar was a stack of quarters. I knew I shouldn't have, but I took one. 

I must have looked guilty when I returned because my granddaddy looked at me funny and asked me to show him my white gloves. I had the quarter in my right hand so I held out my left.

"Show me the other hand," he said. When he saw the quarter, he looked at me sadly.

He hugged me and said, "Darlin', you can have anything in the world I have, but it breaks my heart that you'd ever steal it."

I'll never forget the shame, and I never stole anything again.

Without harsh words or punishment, he established high standards and expectations and taught her that, because of his love for her, he was a stakeholder in her choices and that he was hurt when she let him down.

An informed healthy conscience is a built-in punishment/reward system that makes us proud when we do things right and ashamed at our moral missteps. But such a conscience doesn't develop by accident.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:43 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (2)

When I was asked to deliver the commencement address at my nephew Jaren’s middle school graduation, I worried more than normal. Fourteen- and 15-year-olds are especially tough.

First, they’re subject to torrential hormonal surges that can generate vast mood and personality swings. They can be wonderfully agreeable and fun to be with one moment and sullen and argumentative the next.

Plus, there’s a tendency for kids that age to be overly confident in their opinions.

I’d learned that it helps to get such audiences actively involved, so I asked them to repeat after me: “I am moving on.”

After talking about that for a while, I asked their parents to say with equal volume and vigor: “I am on your side.”

Later I asked the graduates to say: “I am smarter than I ever was but not as smart as I will ever be.”

Then I made this appeal: “For your own success and the sanity of your parents, please remember that as much as you know, there’s still much you don’t know. And as much as your parents don’t know, there’s much that they do know. And here’s the biggie: Sometimes, what your parents know is some of the stuff you don’t know.

“But even if you’re certain that you know what your parents don't think you know and that your parents don’t know what they think they know, treat them kindly and with respect. They’re still learning.”

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:37 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (3)

When my daughter Samara was eight, she wrote a poem. When she showed it to her mom, she said, "Don’t show it to Daddy because he’ll want to read it on the radio."

She was right. I did want to share it, but she asked me not to. It took me over a year of wrangling to cut a deal.

She wrote the poem as a song for friends who were thinking of starting a band. It’s called “The Power in Me.”

When morning comes and the sun rises in the east,
I think of the power in me.
When I stand up for what is right and what I believe,
It is because of the power in me.

No matter who it is or what they want me to do,
I will stand up for my beliefs because of the power in me.
When you are mad, sad, or scared,
What will help you through is the power in you.

That power comes straight from the heart.
Believing is what creates the power in anybody.
If you don’t believe in yourself,
Then say goodbye to the power in you.

When I go to sleep,
before I close my eyes,
I look at the sun setting in the west,
And I thank God for giving me the power in me.

The power Samara is talking about reveals itself as resourcefulness, tenacity, integrity, self-control, and courage.

She’s right. It’s in all of us, and it’s called character.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (6)

Millions of teenagers across the land are about to leave the womb of high school to a world full of new freedoms and responsibilities. Although many have been waiting for this event for a long time, eager to get on with their lives as liberated adults, the thought of leaving behind friends and familiar places can be scary.

The transition isn’t made any easier by well-meaning adults who deliver what I call the Commencement Curse: “These are the best days of your life.” It’s a curse because, if it’s true, we’re telling kids it’s all downhill from here!

Fortunately, it’s not true. Yes, teenage years include wonderful memories of special friendships and all kinds of firsts. But not all memories are good, and however good they were, they’re not likely to be the best – not even close! In fact, the best is yet to come.

You will keep old friends as long as you have things in common, but you’re sure to make new ones as well. Yes, you’ll face additional challenges and responsibilities, but you’ll gain far greater control over your life to do what you want to do and be who you want to be.

Most of all, if you look in the right places, you’ll discover mature, meaningful love and trusting relationships that provide unbounded fulfillment. And if you wait until you can truly appreciate the comfort of marriage and unequaled joys raising a family, there will be endless moments of profound pride and satisfaction that make your school years seem like kid stuff.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (3)

In 1927, Max Ehrmann gave us timeless advice in his classic poem "Desiderata," which means "things to be desired":

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
And remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
Be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly
And listen to others,
Even to the dull and the ignorant;
They too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
They are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
You may become vain or bitter,
For always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
It is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is.

Many persons strive for high ideals,
And everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love
For in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
It is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
Gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune,
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
Be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
No less than the trees and the stars;
You have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,
No doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God,
Whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations,
In the noisy confusion of life,
Keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
It is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (4)

In the old cowboy movies, you could tell the good guys from the bad by the color of their hats. Villains wore black; heroes wore white. It made things easy. Too easy.

I want to put black hats on all the people who discredit their professions and disgrace themselves and their families by acts of dishonesty or uncontrolled desire.

Unfortunately, the closer I look at athletes, school administrators, corporate executives, cops, politicians, and priests who continually fill the newspapers with scandal and fuel the bonfire of cynicism, the more obvious it becomes that most of them are a mixed bag of virtues and flaws – not so different from you and me.

I point this out not to minimize or excuse their bad conduct, but to heighten awareness of how vulnerable we all are to moral blind spots. The best defense against the seductive dark side is a strong sense of integrity and a sleepless conscience.

Poet Edgar Guest put it this way:

I have to live with myself, and so,
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able as days go by
Always to look myself straight in the eye.
I don’t want to stand with the setting sun
And hate myself for the things I’ve done.

I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf
A lot of secrets about myself
And fool myself as I come and go
Into thinking that nobody else will know
The kind of man I really am.
I don’t want to dress myself up in sham.

I never can hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see.
I know what others may never know;
I never can fool myself, and so,
Whatever happens, I want to be
Self-respecting and conscience-free.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (5)

Wow, these are historic times.

Who would have thought a few decades ago that a black man would be the nominee of one of the major parties after a bare-knuckle primary campaign – with a woman?

Yes, there’s still too much prejudice out there, but Senators Obama and Clinton helped bring this country to a new level of inclusiveness – and that’s worth celebrating.

The 2008 Presidential race is also remarkable as proof of the power of tenacity and the foolishness of trying to predict the attitudes of the American public.

Last year, who gave the young, black, obscure Senator with the unfortunate name of Barack Hussein Obama any chance to overcome Senator Clinton’s 30 percent lead? And do you remember all the experts who pronounced Senator John McCain’s candidacy dead in the water after he faltered in early polls and steadfastly recommended escalation of the war in Iraq?

Sadly, the campaigns that brought us to this point were marked by ugly, unfair, and degrading moments, and it’s likely the worst is yet to come. Still, Senators McCain and Obama are two imperfect, but fundamentally decent, men who earned the right to represent their Party’s political perspectives, and they deserve to be treated with respect.

In the next months, the lives, words, and relationships of both candidates will be scrutinized by relentless and merciless hunters dedicated to finding some basis to denounce, ridicule, and belittle them. And, rest assured, they will find something.

That puts the challenge on the rest of us to be fair-minded and have the integrity and tenacity to filter out name-calling and character attacks and stay focused on the issues.

Both Senators are good men with good intentions, but their vision for the country is very different. And that’s what ought to dictate our votes.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (18)

The older I get, the less I know, but I know some things:

• I know I'm a work in progress and there will always be a gap between who I am and who I want to be.
• I know I don't have to be sick to get better, and every day brings opportunities to improve my life and my character.
• I know it's easier to talk about integrity than to live it, and the true test is my willingness to do the right thing even when it costs more than I want to pay.
• I know character is more important than competence.
• I know it takes years to build up trust and only seconds to destroy it.
• I know I often judge myself by my best intentions and most noble acts, but I'll be judged by my last worst act.
• I know I can't control what will happen to me, but I have a lot to say about what happens in me.
• I know pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.
• I know attitudes, both good and bad, are contagious.
• I know winning is more than coming in first, and there's no real victory without honor.
• I know it takes a conscientious effort to be kind, but kindness changes lives.
• I know neither gratitude nor forgiveness comes naturally; both often require acts of will.
• I know real success is being significant.
• I know happiness is deeper and more enduring than either pleasure or fun, and I'm generally as happy as I'm willing to be.
• I know the surest road to happiness is good relationships, and the best way to have good relationships is to be a good person.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:29 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (4)

A teenager really wants to go to a party, but she’s sure her mom won’t let her go, so she and her friend concoct a false cover story. If she’s asked whether she finished her homework or cleaned her room, she’s prone to lie.

What’s the big deal? Most kids lie to their parents from time to time, and their parents probably lied lots of times to their parents. Despite rhetoric about virtue being its own reward, a great many adults – and a higher proportion of kids – are more likely to make their choices based on a calculation of risks and benefits rather than on moral principle.

Since young people are particularly susceptible to choices that indulge impulses and favor immediate needs and wants, we need to teach them how bad choices
made to gratify an immediate impulse can sabotage their most important relationships and impede their more important life objectives.

Every dishonest act has at least two potential consequences: 1) the actual penalty and 2) loss of trust. The second is by far the more important and underestimated.

This is especially true in parent-child relationships. Where trust is important, there are no little lies. When parents aren’t sure they can believe their children, the cords of control will be tighter and held longer. The price of lying is lost freedom.

It’s often difficult to predict how a decision today will affect tomorrow, but dishonesty often has a lasting negative impact on relationships and reputations as well as self-image and character.

From both a moral and practical perspective, honesty is the best policy.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (8)