Virtue Over Values

In our current, bloody, culture wars — values and morality are given passing play — but few people address the loss of virtue as a necessary component of a righteous humankind.

We teach our kids to behave and to be responsible and to be respectful and to be overflowing with self-esteem — but how many of us teach our children how to be virtuous?

Virtue — in its essence — is a singular, overarching, “goodness” that is based on strong moral character and proper values.

Virtue is a universal kindness that can only be selflessly propagated into the world.

Values and morality both have a direct, self-preservation, instinct — while virtue is that extra step above and away from the human realm that is about other people and not the central self.

Virtue doesn’t seek compliments or recognition.

Virtue comforts and soothes.

Virtue exists because some people make a determined effort to live above the realm of cruelty and degradation.  The Virtuous among us never refer to their virtue because, oftentimes, they are unaware of their elevated stature.

We can only become more virtuous through a dedicated effort to remove our individualistic self from the wider world.  Our greater concern must be for the present contentment, and for the future neutral, and not for what has already passed and mouldered.

We must disconnect hatred and confound anger with a goodness that unwittingly presses people in the right direction instead of purposefully punishing them for behaving otherwise.