What Is Character?

James Bailey Brislin
The Carpet City Chronicle

The Enfield Press, July 10, 2008

“A man’s character is his fate.“
-Heraclitus

“Character is that which reveals moral purpose, exposing the class of things a man chooses and avoids.“
-Aristotle

“Character is the only secure foundation of the state.“
-Calvin Coolidge

In recent weeks, words like “character” and “leadership” have been bandied about on the pages of this newspaper. However, the usage of these terms has been largely subjective. This is due in great measure to the fact that they have not been properly defined. As someone who spent his college career studying philosophy, I believe myself to be uniquely qualified to define and comment on the meaning of character.

So, what is character? As we see in the above quote from Aristotle, character is intimately tied to morality, the object of which is virtuous action. Or to put it another way, character is a measurement of acquired virtue.

The bronze doors of St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Hartford depict the four cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. They are sometimes also called the “natural” virtues. Originally identified by the ancient Greeks, they are called “natural” because they exist independently from moral theology, (religious ethics).

Prudence is the most significant of the cardinal virtues. It is sometimes called “the charioteer of the virtues” because the other three are dependant on it. It is classically defined as “recta ratio agibilium”, translated alternately as “right reason ordered to the good” or “a right way of acting”. Prudence connects truth with practical action to achieve the common good. St. Augustine writes that, “Prudence is the knowledge of what to seek and what to avoid.” St. Thomas Aquinas identifies three steps to prudent decision making: (1) “Take counsel” and evaluate the options, (2) Judge which option is best, and (3) Implement your decision. Political prudence requires one’s decisions to serve the common good, not special interests. It also requires decisions to be made following rational deliberation. Prudent decisions cannot be made in response to emotions or heat-of-the-moment passions.

Justice is a moral virtue which requires us to render to others what they are owed by right. The chief object of justice is ownership. Therefore, it chiefly regulates relations among men. There exist God-given rights to person and property that precede the existence of the state. For example, because a merchant has an absolute right to his property, justice requires us to compensate him for property that he is selling by paying him. By right, citizens must render taxes to the government to fund the public services. However, government has a reciprocal obligation to provide the public services paid for by the citizens. The rights to person and property are significant rights. Justice demands that those in public life especially protect the rights of property-owners. It should be noted that the right to protection of person has traditionally included the right to a good reputation. Thus, the practice of slander and detraction lie counter to the virtue of justice. Transcending ownership, justice requires those who give their word to keep their word. Ultimately, free-market capitalism requires the protection of property and the honesty of market participants. The exercise of justice makes these two things possible.

Temperance can be defined as the use of reason to govern that natural appetite for bodily passion. It is the parent to four subordinate virtues: abstinence, sobriety, chastity and modesty. Abstinence and sobriety prescribe the use of restraint in the consumption of food and drink. Chastity involves the moderation of sexual desire. Modesty involves control of one’s pride and ego. It is in the area of temperance that politicians most often succumb to corruption. The K Street lobbying scandals of ‘05-’06 were caused by a lack of abstinence – politicians were too willing to accept expensive lunches and dinners, not contenting themselves with Joe Lieberman’s famed “soda and a tuna-fish sandwich.” Similarly, the downfall of Senator Kennedy was caused a lack of sobriety, leading to the Chappaquiddick death of Mary Jo Kopechne. Ultimately, a lack of chastity proved to be the undoing of Bill Clinton. The corruption of politicians like Joe Ganim, John Rowland, Joseph Santopietro and Eddie Perez was driven by a lack of modesty. An undue desire to live the high life led these politicians to accept inappropriate gifts.

Fortitude molds the will to achieve the objects of prudence, justice and temperance, even in the face of great adversity. It requires courage in the face of challenge. Ultimately, it requires patience, magnanimity, and perseverance. A man of fortitude does not go flapping in the unsteady winds of public opinion. Instead, he sets his course and follows it, no matter the challenges and dangers.

Hopefully, this explanation of character gives you tools with which to assess the character of our elected officials. It should be emphasized that virtue is vital to character, and that character cannot be divorced from morality.

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On an unrelated note, Enfield’s Fourth of July Parade is this Saturday. I encourage everyone who can do so to attend. Reflecting back on my childhood, I now recognize the significant role that our parades had in teaching me patriotism. At the time when Ken Burns’ “The War” premiered, last fall, radio host Dan Lovallo commented that the best way to teach patriotism is to take your kids to parades and show them documentaries on World War II. Along with always voting and showing up for jury duty, these were two of the most important ways that my own father taught me patriotism. Many thanks to the Fourth of July Committee and the Veterans’ Council for their role in making major parades happen.