The Road to Character

The Road to Character explains why today’s ever-increasing obsession with the self is eclipsing moral virtues and our ability to build character, and how that gets in the way of our happiness.

According to Brooks, each of us is filled with two competing personality types, called Adams. Adam I is the part of us that focuses on the external. He is most comfortable in our success-driven society because he wants a career, wealth, and social status.

We’ve almost forgotten the Adam II personality in today’s society. He is an introvert that has a strong moral compass, values, and virtues. This other self within us is what makes us human by giving us virtues like kindness, devotion, and courage. Though we all have both, only one can dominate at the same time, and Adam I dominates in our society today.

In the past century, Western Civilization has seen a shift from the morally concerned Adam II to the self-centered Adam I. After the Great Depression and World War II, people were ready to relax and enjoy life more. People wanted to make life easier and more fun. Consequently, consumption and mass advertising dramatically increased.

In the ‘60’s, people sought to leave behind self-restraint. Marginalized groups such as women and minorities worked toward social justice. This empowerment highlighted the shift to individualism and an emphasis on personal desire while traits like humility are almost completely gone.

Instead of using principles such as integrity, commitment, and kindness to lead our actions, nowadays, we increasingly follow our desires wherever they lead us. For example, the world now emphasizes that whatever we set our mind to, we can accomplish.

Though it might sound inspiring, this allows us to reduce everything we do into an equation of cost and opportunity. Instead of investing time in things out of loyalty or love, we focus on whatever helps us climb the social ladder. Unfortunately, our lives now revolve around how we do things instead of why.

Another way we see our desire to achieve overshadow moral values is in modern parenting. The days of focusing on a loving parent-child relationship are fading, while children are increasingly becoming a tool for self-promotion. Report cards and sports victories are badges of honor more for parents than children.

Rather than investing time in making sure kids are well-rounded, parents push kids to learn skills that will look good on a resume, whether they enjoy them or not. In 1977, a poll of college freshman found that 80 percent were seeking a meaningful philosophy for life. Less than half of college kids today are looking toward that same goal.