How do you define Character?

[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

[johnny]

there's not much left to say saz, you said it all.

[Attalus]

Gosh, if you say so, Saz, it must be so.

All kidding aside, I define character as the ability to decide between right and wrong and take the right side in any dispute. Also, it means keeping your word in all circumstances, and that includes promises. Mental toughness is an essential to a good character, IMHO, not to be swayed by plausible arguments and sophistries when you know in your heart that an action is wrong. The best way for a youth to develop character is just like any character trait: choose to be that way, and work on it all of the time. Study your failures as well as your successes, and resolve to do better, next time. My heroes are: Sir Winston Churchill, who did not let the appeasers talk him into the notion that Hitler was harmless, a mere social aberration. He stuck to his guns, and when the great British people realised, almost too late, that he had been right all along and put him in the place of the poltroons that had been in office before, led the nation through the worst of the storm until the U.S. intervened. Also, George Washington and the Duke of Wellington took almost hopeless enterprises and turned them into successes, with great courage and moderation.

[Legolas]

Originally posted by Attalus: Gosh, if you say so, Saz, it must be so.

I second that [img]smile.gif[/img]
It's a difficult subject, exactly because it lacks a real definition. What I read here almost all seems to make sense, even if I'm having a hard time putting words to it myself.

Originally posted by Attalus: All kidding aside, I define character as the ability to decide between right and wrong and take the right side in any dispute. Also, it means keeping your word in all circumstances, and that includes promises. Mental toughness is an essential to a good character, IMHO, not to be swayed by plausible arguments and sophistries when you know in your heart that an action is wrong.

I think this is only partially true. Character is not nessicarily about doing right, but rather about what you feel is right. And standing up to defend your view even if the whole world seems against you.
Of course, if you just keep shouting you're right you aren't showing character, but stubbornness [img]smile.gif[/img]
IMO, it's really not about the contents, but more about how you handle them.

And how does one instill character in youth? Draft them in the army! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Seriously, I wouldn't know. I have always more or less believed character grows as you do, and mostly by example.
I can be right on this, or completely wrong. Probably something in the middle.

[Charean]

I agree Saz...

I have thought that good character is having the DISCIPLINE to do what is right even when you don't have to.

My mother always told me that doing things I didn't want to do, and going through tough times builds character... but then she also said I was quite a character anyway! [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

The discipline is the hardest part, but makes everything else easier.

I agree with your post Saz, but for me the short answer on character is "Doing the right thing, even when no one is watching" Or when it is the Hard thing

[LennonCook]

CHaracter is a measure of everything which makes us individuals. It is a fairly abstract thing, so I would say that it doesn`t have specific traits associated with it.
Thus, a "person of character" would not have any specific traits, but simply be individual, unique, and not afraid to show it. I would give an example of this, but I can`t think of any specific person here who would fit the description. Instead, I will say that I consider EVERYONE at Ironworks to be a "person of character", in different ways.
The people who would be the biggest influence, I would say are the people who we either love or hate. Those we love, such as family and close friends, build character in us because we want to keep on their good side. To do this, we may act like them in some ways, or do things which they would like. People we hate build character because we want to either annoy them, or get them off our case. We will change through both these things, and change builds character.
I would say that to help instill character, the best method would be to encourage individuality. This can be done in many ways, all of which are quite impossible to explain, and the way in which it should be done depends on the people involved, their relationship to each other, and the exact situation/s. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Lioness]

Originally posted by 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

[img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] Saz, total agreement here.

I have to add that some people who have had influences on my character have been people who questioned character and challenged the way society views character. This allows me to see more sides of 'character', and question what I consider to be the character I have.

And I agree with Legolas about character developing as you grow. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[250]

well, to define character, one has to also include the dark side, the shadows of what we normally consider good.

the jealousy, the rebelious, the chaotic, the angry, and the pessimistic.

I recommand reading Thomas Moore, who talks about shadows exclusively. according to him, shadow is as much of human's soul as the light side. life is beautiful and horrific at the same time etc.

[John D Harris]

I'd agree with you Saz (assuming you are speaking of "Good Character")
Character comes in both shades Good and Bad, or else MLK's plea to be judged by the contient of ones character and not the color of ones skin is useless.
1)Character is definded by ones thoughts, deeds, and asperations (sp?)
2)Good Character: see above agreement with Saz
Bad Character: see above agreement with Saz apply opposite.
3)My parents
4)Show Good Character by example. Bad Character can be picked up anywhere.