‌Cumo‌‌1 

‌ ‌

Trinity‌‌Cumo‌  ‌

Professor‌‌Dr.‌‌Martino‌  ‌

Introduction‌‌to‌‌Ethics‌  ‌

November‌‌22,‌‌2018‌‌
   ‌

Road‌‌to‌‌Character‌‌
   ‌

What‌‌kind‌‌of‌‌person‌‌will‌‌you‌‌be‌‌when‌‌you‌‌pass‌‌away,‌‌will‌‌you‌‌be‌‌the‌‌person‌‌people‌‌will‌‌ 

remember‌‌for‌‌your‌‌eulogy‌‌or‌‌resume‌‌characteristics.‌‌Honesty,‌‌bravery,‌‌or‌‌the‌‌kind‌‌of‌‌relationship‌‌
 

that‌‌was‌‌formed;‌‌or‌‌will‌‌they‌‌remember‌‌you‌‌by‌‌where‌‌you‌‌brought‌‌to‌‌the‌‌table‌‌at‌‌a‌‌business‌‌ 

meeting.‌‌Sure‌‌what‌‌ones‌‌we‌‌what‌‌to‌‌be‌‌remembered‌‌for‌‌you’d‌‌say‌‌the‌‌ones‌‌that‌‌make‌‌you‌‌who‌‌you‌‌
 

are;‌‌the‌‌core‌‌values.‌‌In‌‌today’s‌‌society‌‌it‌‌doesn’t‌‌seem‌‌that‌‌way.‌‌Throughout‌‌the‌‌whole‌‌education‌‌
 

process‌‌we‌‌have‌‌become‌‌more‌‌focused‌‌on‌‌the‌‌resume‌‌attributes.‌‌Trying‌‌to‌‌prepare‌‌the‌‌new‌‌ 

generations‌‌to‌‌come‌‌for‌‌the‌‌workplace.‌‌Eulogy‌‌and‌‌resume‌‌characteristics‌‌can‌‌easily‌‌be‌‌described‌‌
 

as‌‌Adam‌‌1‌‌and‌‌Adam‌‌2.‌‌Adam‌‌1‌‌has‌‌the‌‌mindset‌‌of‌‌being‌‌career‌‌oriented,‌‌ambitious‌‌and‌‌wants‌‌to‌‌ 

build,‌‌create,‌‌produce,‌‌and‌‌discover.‌‌Adam‌‌2‌‌is‌‌the‌‌internal‌‌thinker,‌‌the‌‌one‌‌who‌‌embodies‌‌certain‌‌
 

moral‌‌qualities,‌‌having‌‌a‌‌good‌‌sense‌‌of‌‌right‌‌and‌‌wrong,‌‌and‌‌has‌‌an‌‌inner‌‌soul‌‌that‌‌honors‌‌creation‌‌ 

and‌‌one’s‌‌own‌‌possibilities.‌‌The‌‌shift‌‌can‌‌easily‌‌be‌‌described‌‌as‌‌how‌‌one‌‌person‌‌can‌‌go‌‌from‌‌ 

thinking‌a‌ ‌‌shift‌‌from‌‌a‌‌culture‌‌of‌‌self-effacement‌‌that‌‌says‌‌“Nobody’s‌‌better‌‌than‌‌me,‌‌but‌‌I’m‌‌no‌‌ 

better‌‌than‌‌anyone‌‌else”‌‌to‌‌a‌‌culture‌‌of‌‌self-promotion‌‌that‌‌says‌‌“Recognize‌‌my‌‌accomplishments,‌‌ 

I’m‌‌pretty‌‌special.”‌‌That‌‌contrast,‌‌while‌‌nothing‌‌much‌‌in‌‌itself,‌‌was‌‌like‌‌a‌‌doorway‌‌into‌‌the‌‌
 

different‌‌ways‌‌it‌‌is‌‌possible‌‌to‌‌live‌‌in‌‌this‌‌world.‌‌The‌‌plan‌‌of‌‌the‌‌shift‌‌is‌‌to‌‌show‌‌the‌‌traditions‌‌that‌‌ 

emphasized‌‌our‌‌own‌‌brokenness.‌‌Demanding‌‌humility‌‌in‌‌the‌‌face‌‌of‌‌our‌‌limitations.‌‌As‌‌many‌‌ 

thing‌‌act‌‌upon‌‌our‌‌morality‌‌such‌‌as‌‌religion.‌  ‌
 ‌Cumo‌‌2 ‌ ‌

As‌‌brooks‌‌put‌‌the‌‌“little‌‌me”‌‌into‌‌perspective‌‌it‌‌is‌‌described‌‌as‌‌his‌‌adolescent‌‌thinking.‌‌ 

Back‌‌to‌‌the‌‌culture‌‌in‌‌the‌‌mid-twentieth‌‌century,‌‌it‌‌was‌‌a‌‌different‌‌mindset‌‌than‌‌today.‌‌There‌‌was‌‌
 

more‌‌racism,‌‌sexism,‌‌and‌‌anti-semitic‌‌thinking.‌‌The‌‌one‌‌realization‌‌Brooks‌‌had‌‌about‌‌the‌‌twentieth‌‌
 

century‌‌was‌‌a‌‌strain‌‌of‌‌humility‌‌that‌‌was‌‌more‌‌common‌‌back‌‌then‌‌than‌‌now.‌‌“Teaching‌‌people‌‌to‌‌ 

be‌‌more‌‌skeptical‌‌of‌‌their‌‌desires,‌‌more‌‌aware‌‌of‌‌their‌‌own‌‌weaknesses,‌‌more‌‌intent‌‌on‌‌combating‌‌ 

the‌‌flaws‌‌in‌‌their‌‌own‌‌natures‌‌and‌‌turning‌‌weakness‌‌into‌‌strength.”‌‌(Brooks‌‌5).‌‌In‌‌this‌‌early‌‌stage,‌‌ 

there‌‌wasn’t‌‌much‌‌bragging‌‌or‌‌boasting‌‌of‌‌one’s‌‌self.‌‌“There‌‌was‌‌a‌‌stronger‌‌social‌‌sanction‌‌against‌‌ 

blowing‌‌your‌‌own‌‌trumpet,‌‌getting‌‌above‌‌yourself,‌‌being‌‌too‌‌big‌‌for‌‌your‌‌britches”.(Brooks‌‌5).‌  ‌

An‌‌example‌‌of‌‌this‌‌was‌‌after‌‌world‌‌war‌‌2‌‌was‌‌won‌‌and‌‌over‌‌with,‌‌no‌‌one‌‌was‌‌banging‌‌their‌‌chest‌‌ 

the‌‌only‌‌thought‌‌was‌‌the‌‌deep-down‌‌feeling‌‌of‌‌humility.‌‌The‌‌overall‌‌morality‌‌of‌‌little‌‌me‌‌could‌‌ 

have‌‌been‌‌improved‌‌greatly.‌ ‌When‌‌comparing‌‌the‌‌old‌‌to‌‌the‌‌new‌‌you‌‌have‌‌to‌‌understand‌‌the‌‌
 

changes‌‌that‌‌occured.‌‌Brooks‌‌compared‌‌two‌‌quarterbacks‌‌both‌‌made‌‌it‌‌to‌‌the‌‌league,‌‌but‌‌in‌‌
 

different‌‌ways.‌‌The‌‌one‌‌quarterback‌‌was‌‌brought‌‌up‌‌in‌‌the‌‌old-time‌‌where‌‌thinking‌‌highly‌‌of‌‌ 

yourself‌‌wasn’t‌‌very‌‌common.‌‌The‌‌other‌‌was‌‌brought‌‌up‌‌in‌‌the‌‌new‌‌time,‌‌where‌‌arrogance‌‌and‌‌ 

cockiness‌‌get‌‌the‌‌best‌‌of‌‌you,‌‌thinking‌‌everything‌‌gets‌‌handed‌‌to‌‌you.‌‌The‌‌first‌‌quarterback‌‌was‌‌
 

humble‌‌about‌‌everything‌‌he‌‌did,‌‌if‌‌his‌‌receiver‌‌missed‌‌the‌‌pass‌‌or‌‌didn’t‌‌know‌‌the‌‌route,‌‌he‌‌could‌‌
 

call‌‌him‌‌out.‌‌After‌‌the‌‌game,‌‌he‌‌took‌‌the‌‌blame‌‌for‌‌the‌‌mistakes‌‌the‌‌others‌‌made.‌‌In‌‌my‌‌opinion,‌‌ 

the‌‌morality‌‌of‌‌the‌‌first‌‌quarterback‌‌who‌‌grew‌‌up‌‌in‌‌the‌‌old‌‌times‌‌has‌‌a‌‌better‌‌sense‌‌of‌‌morality‌‌ 

and‌‌can‌‌focus‌‌on‌‌what's‌‌more‌‌important‌‌in‌‌life.‌‌Becoming‌‌more‌‌appreciative‌‌for‌‌the‌‌things‌‌he‌‌
 

worked‌‌hard‌‌for.‌‌After‌‌witnessing‌‌the‌‌hardship‌‌that‌‌Americans‌‌went‌‌through‌‌many‌‌people‌‌were‌‌ 

down‌‌on‌‌themselves.‌‌Soon‌‌many‌‌new‌‌books‌‌started‌‌popping‌‌up‌‌telling‌‌people‌‌to‌‌change‌‌the‌‌way‌‌ 

they‌‌look‌‌at‌‌things.‌‌Become‌‌more‌‌positive,‌‌cast‌‌away‌‌the‌‌negative‌‌thoughts‌‌you‌‌tell‌‌yourself.‌‌The‌‌ 
 ‌Cumo‌‌3 ‌ ‌

most‌‌influential‌‌psychologist,‌‌Carl‌‌Rogers‌‌said‌‌that‌‌the‌‌biggest‌‌psychological‌‌problem‌‌was‌‌that‌‌
 

people‌‌don’t‌‌love‌‌themselves‌‌enough.‌‌In‌‌today’s‌‌society,‌‌we‌‌see‌‌this‌‌problem‌‌frequently‌‌with‌‌the‌‌ 

help‌‌of‌‌the‌‌internet‌‌and‌‌social‌‌media.‌‌Creating‌‌an‌‌image‌‌of‌‌happiness‌‌that‌‌people‌‌should‌‌have,‌‌but‌‌
 

some‌‌can’t‌‌find‌‌that‌‌happiness.‌‌A‌‌study‌‌was‌‌done‌‌nationwide‌‌on‌‌college‌‌students‌‌by‌‌researchers‌‌
 

from‌‌UCLA.‌‌Each‌‌year‌‌they‌‌survey‌‌they‌‌ask‌‌them‌‌to‌‌gauge‌‌their‌‌values‌‌and‌‌what‌‌they‌‌want‌‌out‌‌of‌‌ 

life.‌‌“In‌‌1966,‌‌80%‌‌of‌‌freshman‌‌said‌‌that‌‌they‌‌were‌‌strongly‌‌motivated‌‌to‌‌develop‌‌a‌‌meaningful‌‌ 

philosophy‌‌of‌‌life.‌‌Today‌‌less‌‌than‌‌half‌‌of‌‌them‌‌say‌‌that.‌‌In‌‌1966,‌‌42%‌‌said‌‌that‌‌becoming‌‌rich‌‌was‌‌ 

an‌‌important‌‌life‌‌goal,‌‌by‌‌1990,‌‌74%‌‌agreed‌‌with‌‌that‌‌statement”.‌‌(257).‌‌As‌‌the‌‌quality‌‌of‌‌life‌‌ 

improves‌‌it‌‌seems‌‌as‌‌if‌‌what‌‌we‌‌want‌‌in‌‌life‌‌shifts.‌‌Trying‌‌to‌‌keep‌‌up‌‌with‌‌the‌‌new‌‌trends‌‌and‌‌new‌‌ 

technology‌‌is‌‌becoming‌‌harder‌‌for‌‌people‌‌who‌‌are‌‌less‌‌fortunate.‌‌By‌‌the‌‌end‌‌of‌‌the‌‌survey,‌‌people‌‌
 

were‌‌becoming‌‌more‌‌and‌‌more‌‌okay‌‌with‌‌saying‌‌that‌‌they‌‌are‌‌focused‌‌on‌‌money.‌‌As‌‌the‌‌
 

development‌‌of‌‌new‌‌technology‌‌is‌‌created‌‌a‌‌lower‌‌sense‌‌of‌‌empathy‌‌and‌‌a‌‌lower‌‌sense‌‌of‌‌morality.‌‌   ‌

In‌‌conclusion,‌‌each‌‌society‌‌creates‌‌its‌‌own‌‌set‌‌of‌‌norms,‌‌beliefs,‌‌habits‌‌of‌‌behavior,‌‌and‌‌an‌‌ 

institutionalized‌‌set‌‌of‌‌moral‌‌demands‌‌that‌‌happen‌‌on‌‌its‌‌own.‌‌We‌‌need‌‌to‌‌rediscover‌‌Adam‌‌2‌a‌ nd‌‌ 

what‌‌he‌‌brings‌‌to‌‌the‌‌table.‌‌“We‌‌have‌‌built‌‌a‌‌moral‌‌ecology‌‌around‌‌the‌‌Big‌‌me.”‌‌(261).‌ ‌The‌‌three‌‌ 

propositions‌‌that‌‌are‌‌the‌‌most‌‌interesting‌‌from‌‌the‌‌humility‌‌code‌‌are.‌‌Being‌‌blinded‌‌by‌‌pride.‌‌ 

Relating‌‌this‌‌to‌‌the‌‌movie‌‌we‌‌watched‌‌in‌‌class‌A
‌ ‌‌Civil‌‌Action‌‌‌when‌‌Jan‌‌was‌‌blinded‌‌by‌‌his‌‌own‌‌ 

pride‌‌in‌‌the‌‌courtroom‌‌is‌‌an‌‌easy‌‌way‌‌to‌‌begin‌‌to‌‌understand‌‌it.‌‌“Pride‌‌makes‌‌is‌‌more‌‌certain‌‌and‌‌ 

closed-minded‌‌that‌‌we‌‌should‌‌be”.‌‌Voulunability‌‌is‌‌hard‌‌to‌‌achieve‌‌if‌‌you‌‌won’t‌‌let‌‌your‌‌pride‌‌ 

down‌‌to‌‌open‌‌yourself‌‌up.‌‌Pride‌‌makes‌‌it‌‌easy‌‌to‌‌dehumanize‌‌people‌‌and‌‌makes‌‌it‌‌easier‌‌for‌‌us‌‌to‌‌
 

be‌‌cold-hearted.‌‌The‌‌next‌‌proposition‌‌is‌‌understanding‌‌that‌‌we‌‌humans‌‌are‌‌flawed‌‌and‌‌have‌‌the‌‌
 

tendency‌‌to‌‌be‌‌selfish.‌‌Putting‌‌ourselves‌‌first‌‌in‌‌multiple‌‌situations‌‌instead‌‌of‌‌thinking‌‌of‌‌others.‌‌ 
 ‌Cumo‌‌4 ‌ ‌

We‌‌know‌‌the‌‌difference‌‌between‌‌right‌‌and‌‌wrong‌‌but‌‌in‌‌the‌‌end,‌‌we‌‌still‌‌end‌‌up‌‌doing‌‌what‌‌
 

benefits‌‌us‌‌instead‌‌of‌‌others.‌‌Another‌‌quality‌‌we‌‌preset‌‌is‌‌we‌‌overestimate‌‌our‌‌own‌‌strengths‌‌and‌‌
 

rationalize‌‌our‌‌failures.‌‌The‌‌last‌‌is‌‌a‌‌character,‌‌character‌‌is‌‌made‌‌up‌‌of‌‌courage,‌‌honesty,‌‌humility.‌‌
 

The‌‌things‌‌that‌‌lead‌‌us‌‌ways‌‌from‌‌being‌‌good‌‌characters‌‌are‌‌lust,‌‌fear,‌‌vanity,‌‌gluttony.‌‌People‌‌with‌‌
 

good‌‌character‌‌have‌‌the‌‌right‌‌ideas‌‌of‌‌right‌‌and‌‌wrong‌‌and‌‌know‌‌the‌‌fundamentals‌‌of‌‌morals.‌‌To‌‌
 

improve‌‌the‌‌Big‌‌my‌‌qualities,‌‌I‌‌believe‌‌we‌‌need‌‌to‌‌follow‌‌these‌‌three‌‌key‌‌factors.‌‌By‌‌following‌‌ 

these‌‌we‌‌have‌‌the‌‌better‌‌opportunity‌‌to‌‌be‌‌moral‌‌and‌‌put‌‌others‌‌first‌‌and‌‌to‌‌start‌‌leading‌‌people‌‌ 

toward‌‌the‌‌more‌‌positives‌‌in‌‌life.‌‌   ‌

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 ‌Cumo‌‌5 ‌ ‌

Works‌‌Cited‌‌
   ‌

Brooks,‌‌David.‌‌The‌‌Road‌‌to‌‌Character‌.‌‌Random‌‌House,‌‌2016‌  ‌