The Three Primary Virtues

Adam Smith, in his important book The Theory of Moral Sentiments, wrote that excellent people have three primary virtues: prudence, justice, and benevolence, in that order. Each of them is essential to the others and to the living of a full life in society.

Prudence

The virtue of prudence refers to your developing the habit of providing well for yourself, your family, your friends, your co-workers, and your company. This requires that you think intelligently and honestly about the very best course of action to maximize your opportunities and minimize possible danger and threats. The habit of prudence means you investigate every investment carefully, think ahead about what might happen if you were to take a particular course of action, and take intelligent steps to guard against setbacks and reversals of fortune. The most successful people are those who are prudent in the conduct in all of their personal and business affairs.

Justice is Blind

The second habit for you to develop is the habit of justice. This refers to your commitment to the establishment and maintenance of laws in society that protect the person and property of every individual. The American republic has endured for more than 200 years because it was carefully established by the founding fathers on the basis of law, not men. At every level of our society, specific laws are prescribed and laid down that are applicable to all people, regardless of wealth or station in life.

John Rawls, the Harvard philosopher and author of A Theory of Justice (Belknap Press, revised edition, 1999), once presented a question to his class that has been repeated often through the years.

Imagine that you could write the laws and create the circumstances of your society. You are given the power to prescribe the economic, social and political relationships that would exist in your country throughout your lifetime. There is only one limitation on your power. You would set up this structure without knowing into what sort of family or situation you would be born. You would not know in advance what sort of physical condition you might be born with. Whatever system of laws and customs you decided upon, you would then be required to live by them for the rest of your life. What kind of structure would you design in this situation?

The answer to this question is the very essence of the concept of justice. The statue of justice, holding the balances and scales in her hand, is blind folded. True justice is therefore applicable to all people who live under a certain system, irrespective of their background. When you make the habit of justice an organizing virtue for your own character, you will insist that, whatever the relative power of the parties, everyone be treated fairly and justly in the resolution of any difficulty or dispute.

The habit of prudence is essential for personal success. The habit of justice is essential for the creation of a society within which a person can pursue his or her own best interests with the greatest of possibilities. The rule is that you should never want or demand anything from anyone else that you are not perfectly willing to accept for yourself.

Benevolence

The third quality you must develop is the habit of benevolence. This is one of the hallmark characteristics of the truly superior person. Aristotle referred to it as one of the eight essential virtues, that of "generosity." Most people are psychologically and emotionally structured in such a way that they are only truly happy and satisfied when they feel they are doing something that serves and benefits other people. When you give freely and generously of yourself to others, whether it is to members of your family or to members of the public, you feel more valuable and happier inside. When you dedicate yourself to serving your customers with the very best quality product or service of which you are capable, not only do you feel a deep sense of personal satisfaction, but you also put yourself on the side of the angels when it comes to personal and business success. You remember the principle: "The more you give of yourself to others with no expectation of return, the more good things there are that will come back to you from the most unexpected sources."

The regular practice of prudence, justice, and benevolence leads naturally to feelings and actions of kindness, compassion, and tolerance toward other people. You become more open minded and flexible. You develop greater patience and understanding. You are less judgmental or demanding of others. You become a better and finer person.

Action Exercise

Imagine yourself to be a person of complete honesty and impeccable integrity. Is there any behavior of yours that you would change?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

5-Step Plan to Reverse Diabetes

Image
Step 1: Remove These Foods to Reverse Diabetes Naturally Certain foods negatively affect your blood sugar levels, cause inflammation and trigger immune responses. To reverse diabetes naturally, the first step is to remove these foods from your diet: Refined sugar: Refined sugar rapidly spikes blood glucose, and soda, fruit juice and other sugary beverages are the worst culprits. These forms of sugar enter the bloodstream rapidly and can cause extreme elevations in blood glucose. (7) Even though natural sweeteners like raw honey and maple syrup are better options, they can still affect blood sugar levels, so only use these foods on occasion. Your best option is to switch to stevia, a natural sweetener that won’t have as much of an impact. Grains: Grains, especially gluten-containing grains like wheat, contain large amounts of carbohydrates that are broken down into sugar within only a few minutes of consumption. Gluten can cause intestinal inflammation, which affects hormones like...
Read more

Does apple cider vinegar help people with diabetes?

Image
Apple cider vinegar may have various health benefits, such as supporting weight loss and managing blood sugar. These benefits could help people with or at risk of diabetes. However, scientific research has not yet confirmed them. Scientists have yet to back up the majority of the health claims around apple cider vinegar with significant clinical research. However, some evidence has emerged to suggest that apple cider vinegar may have particular benefits for the management of diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic condition that leads to an inability to manage blood sugar levels properly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 1980, around 108 million people had diabetes. Its prevalence has significantly increased over the past few decades to an estimated 422 million in 2014. This article looks at the research that links apple cider vinegar and diabetes, as well as ways to take apple cider vinegar effectively. According to scientists, apple cider vinegar has the potential to ...
Read more

The Dangers of Ego-Driven Spending: A Call for Reality Check

Image
In a world where status and outward appearances reign supreme, it's all too easy to fall into the trap of ego-driven spending. We live in a society where success is often measured by the size of our possessions and the prestige of our lifestyle. As a result, many of us find ourselves chasing after the latest trends and splurging on luxury items in a bid to keep up with the Joneses. But what if I told you that some of the wealthiest individuals in the world eschew ostentatious displays of wealth in favor of a more modest lifestyle? Take, for example, Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors of all time. Despite his immense wealth, Buffett is known for his frugal habits, driving the same modest car and living in the same unassuming house for decades. Similarly, tech titan Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, is often seen wearing a simple gray t-shirt and jeans, despite being worth billions of dollars. And then there's Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, who fam...
Read more