N U R S A F I A H

Saturday, September 16, 2006/

@ 8:45 pm

Character and the Pursuit of Happiness 479.3

The Declaration of Independence tells us we all have an inalienable right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Unfortunately, too many Americans, especially young ones, believe they are entitled not simply to pursue happiness, but to actually be happy. And if they're not, they feel resentful. This breeds an "I deserve it" mentality and "whatever-it-takes" strategies that justify even lying and cheating to help them get, or keep, the things they think will make them happy.

In a free country we have a right to pursue personal happiness, but we also have inalienable moral responsibilities to be good and decent people. There's nothing wrong with wanting and going after money, possessions, power and status, provided we do so honorably. Ethical principles like honesty, fairness and respect are ground rules for the pursuit of happiness.

But the deeper question is: Is the pursuit of happiness an adequate life goal? Helen Keller said, "True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."

The men who signed the Declaration of Independence were not simply pursuing happiness. Instead, they pledged their "lives, fortunes and sacred honor" to establish a government based on moral principles. This took character. And that is what life is really about. According to philosopher George Santayana, "Character is the basis of happiness, and happiness is the reward of character."

If this sounds out of touch with your reality, maybe it's because you don't sufficiently appreciate your moral potential and the enormous and enduring sense of happiness that can come from the pursuit of goodness.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

The Intimidating Power of Integrity 479.4

A teacher wrote telling me that a parent with a great deal of clout at her school asked her to change attendance records to make her child's record look better. The teacher said she thought long and hard about the request but eventually refused, knowing it would make the parent angry.

First, I commend her moral courage. I wish it didn't take courage to do the right thing, especially in such a clear case as this, but in the real world people with power often retaliate when they don't get what they want. This can make your life difficult.

Still, moral courage is the much-needed bodyguard of conscience and character. The personal costs of putting our integrity on the auction block are so high, we simply have to take the risk. Once we start on the slippery slope of moral compromise, it's hard to resist the slide downward.

My first instinct was to think of the parent who subjected the teacher to this corrupt and corrupting request as a thoroughgoing villain, but I suspect she's a basically decent mom so intent on helping her child that she ignored her moral brakes.

But it is wrong to ask someone to lie or cheat, and when it comes from someone with power, it's even worse. Power is intimidating even when it's not used.

But unswerving integrity can also be intimidating. Clearly improper requests deserve an immediate, firm and dignified response that leaves no ambiguity that they are inappropriate. Be careful not to be self-righteous, but let the person who asks worry about what you think of them and, if they persist, let them -- not you -- worry about the potential consequences.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

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(Note: The views expressed in all commentaries are solely those of Mr. Josephson and do not necessarily reflect those of the Josephson Institute.)

a lyfe* like mine-; 8:45 pm