[Sazerac]

"Character" as I'm referring to it, to me, is a synthesis of one's morals and ethics in one's everyday dealings with others. To me, character is a combination of integrity, trustworthiness, accountability, fairness in dealing with others, conscience, citizenship and teamwork, and respect for others.

To break this down further: Integrity is the quality of standing up for what you know is right, regardless of the consequences. IMO, it's developing a backbone and a strong will, and not allowing yourself to be too easily swayed by others who would wish ill of you. Integrity shows that you are self-disciplined.

Trustworthiness is being honest in both word and deed, keeping one's word, being above-board in one's dealings with others, paying your debts, and being loyal to those with whom you have commitments. Those who are trustworthy will not violate their principles to win friends or influence others.

Accountability is responsible action; taking responsibility for the consequences of your actions and thinking before you act. Accountable people do not make excuses or try to place the blame on others for their foibles.

Fairness means treating everyone equally, being open-minded and non-biased, listening as well as communicating, and appropriating only that which is your fair share and not taking advantage of others.

Conscience is one's moral and ethical standards that alert them to what is right or wrong in a given situation. To act within the dictates of one's conscience means to do that which is right, even if it means having to accept negative consequences or costs.

Citizenship and teamwork means to play by the rules, operate within the laws, work to change those laws which are restrictive or obsolete, volunteering service to one's community, protecting one's environment, and supporting one's teammates or co-workers.

Respect is simply treating each other with courtesy, caring, compassion, and understanding. Respect means being tolerant, even if you don't care for a person's personality. It also means honoring another's opinions and values even if they do not exactly match your own.

Character is a vital part of our personality, and yet is all too often overlooked, especially among today's youth. I think it was Thomas Moseley who said, "A measure of a man's character is how he acts when he thinks no one else is looking."

The questions I would pose to you are:

1. How would you define character? Feel free to give examples of what would define character.

2. How you you classify a person of character? What traits would they have?

3. Which people were the biggest influences on your character-building?

4. What can we do, as adults (and teens, answer here, too!) do to help instill character in our youth?

I'd like to get some more discussion on this, and would ask that we act "in character" and be respectful and courteous to the other posters. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Thanks,
-Sazerac