5 Virtues for the 21st century.

5 virtues for the 21st century.

Truth. Truth is the highest virtue of all. It extends to being truthful with yourself and with those around you. Acting in a manner that is in accordance with your nature as an individual. Being honest helpful and humble to those around you. And upholding your societal positions with duty and honor.

Respect. Respect is second only to truth. Likewise, it extends to respecting yourself as an individual and respecting those around you. Self respect is holding yourself in high regard and taking good care of yourself. On the other hand you have an obligation to offer those around you a basic level of decency and respect for their rights as individuals. Respect also extends to upholding your civic and natural duties acting as a citizen.

Duty. Duty follows respect. Duty is the natural and social obligations you have towards yourself and towards the society around you. As an individual you have natural obligations to better yourself so that you may better service those around you. You also have natural obligations to help better the lives of those around you. As a member of society you have various social obligations based on your social position and role.

Honor. Honor flows from duty and respect. Honor is acting in accordance with natural order. Honor is acting with temperance and respect towards yourself, those around you, and nature itself. To act with honor is to act in accordance with your true nature.

Nature. Nature is culmination of individuals acting with honor. Acting in accordance with nature means cultivating oneself, being productive, being fertile. When we act with nature we enjoy the bounties of our productivity. We feel the enjoyment of helping our fellow man. And we find pleasure in seeing our society prosper.