Tag Archives: Virtue

Virtue Is Just Doing What’s Right

Posted on November 29, 2020 by N.S. Palmer

Virtue has kind of a bad reputation these days. People think it means being prudish or acting superior to everyone else. But real virtue just means behaving in ways that help you, other people, and society. It supports human happiness … Continue reading →

Posted in Life | Tagged Ben Franklin, Good society, Happiness, Morality, Virtue, Wisdom | Leave a comment

A Pop Quiz About Government

Posted on October 14, 2020 by N.S. Palmer

We’ve got a pop quiz today, kids. But don’t worry: There’s only one question, and it’s multiple-guess. The authors of the U.S. Constitution were greatly influenced by a book called The Spirit of the Laws. It said there were three … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Science, Psychology | Tagged Courage, COVID-19, Democracy, Fear, Freedom, Justice, Politics, Propaganda, Psychology, Rule of law, SARS-CoV-2, Social harmony, Virtue | Leave a comment

Don’t Be A Quitter

Posted on February 28, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

“Quitters never win, and winners never quit. But those who never win and never quit are idiots.” — Despair.com Don’t be a quitter. But don’t be an idiot, either. The problem in many situations is to know which is which. … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Psychology | Tagged Aristotle, Buddhism, Courage, Daniel Robinson, Determination, Goals, Golden Mean, Middle Way, Perseverance, Persistence, Virtue, Winston Churchill | Leave a comment

Get Help from Your Automatic Pilot

Posted on October 31, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

We spend a lot of our lives on automatic pilot. We act out of habit, without thinking about what we’re doing. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If we had to think our way through everything we did, we couldn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Human Relations, Judaism, Psychology, Society | Tagged Bible Study, Habit, Learning, Observance, Practice, Prayer, Religion, Skill, Virtue | Leave a comment

Are People Basically Good?

Posted on August 30, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

“People are neither basically good nor basically bad. They are basically free.” Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Judaism, Philosophy | Tagged Conscience, Dennis Prager, Empathy, Ernest Hemingway, Human Nature, Jonathan Haidt, Morality, Religion, Virtue | 4 Comments

For Hanukkah, Free Yourself

Posted on December 6, 2015 by N.S. Palmer

My latest blog post for The Jerusalem Post: What’s the most important freedom? During Hanukkah, we celebrate religious freedom. That kind of freedom is vital. But it’s not the only kind, or even the most important. When modern people talk … Continue reading →