Ethics Newsline®

In last week’s commentary, Rushworth Kidder shared his observations about the year in ethics and how what we’ve learned from the recent past could propel resolutions for the coming year. The areas he suggested for special attention were civility, vigilance, and fairness.

Several readers offered additional thoughts about what we should be paying attention to in 2008. Among the suggestions was “a growing need for humanity to work to evolve its moral base, rather than focus on moral dangers based on existing/past ethical templates. For example, presuming that the world’s population continues to grow, it would seem logical to assume that the principle of ‘living better on less’ will need to become a key component of the ‘moral maze’ of the future — rather than our current ‘high consumption’-based moral templates.”

Another reader wanted to add courage, kindness, and honesty to the list. “Without courage one cannot practice any other virtue. (Someone wise said that, not me.) Without honesty, trust cannot grow or be sustained — plus dishonesty sullies every human encounter and endeavor. Without kindness (compassion, love) — not sure how much the rest matters.”

The month is only a quarter over — it’s not too late to offer resolutions. Do you have any other suggestions for moral values we should pursue? Please let us know.

– Compiled by Ethics Newsline® editor Carl Hausman