46 MAY 2025 WorldWide Drilling Resource® The Un-Comfort Zone II by Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. In this Era of Mass Surveillance, Does Character Still Matter? When I was growing up, my mother spoke frequently of having, developing, and building character. She would point out examples of it, and encouraged me to emulate the people who had it. I think she did this so often because she struggled with having it herself. She was okay with bending the rules when it suited her. I suspect she might have considered herself a pragmatist or perhaps a realist. On the other hand, my father never spoke of character. Instead, he lived it. He would occasionally talk to me about honor, duty, and what it meant to be a man. He believed in duty to God, family, and country. He volunteered at age 17 to fight in World War II (and told me regularly I owed my country a duty to serve at least two years in the military). He was a member of the church board, attended services three times a week, and tithed 10% of his salary. A devoted family man, he worked hard to support his family. And, when he realized he was dying, he kept himself alive until he was certain I could take over the responsibility of looking after my mother and sister. In many ways, my father was the opposite of my mother. He never swore, lied, or broke the rules. My mother used to say he was honest to a fault. Did my father have character? To all observers he did, but what people observe is not character - it is reputation. A person might do all the right things, but for less than honorable reasons. For example, if you’re doing something only because you are afraid of the consequences, or because you are trying to make a good impression on someone, then it isn’t coming from your heart. It’s not genuine. Having character demands authenticity. Another example is if you see someone who needs help and it’s easy to help them, it’s being good. If you have to go out of your way to help them, it shows character. In other words, there is a difference between “having character” and “being a good person.” Only the individual knows if he or she has character. There are many traits attributed to character - including honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, determination, perseverance, dedication, loyalty, kindness, caring, helpfulness, compassion, self-discipline, responsibility, and being fair and just. More than anything, I believe character is about consistently doing the right thing - especially when it is hard to do so. I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying, "Character is what you do when no one is watching." As I pointed out in my article, Is Morality in Decline or is it being Manipulated?, researchers have determined children are born knowing the difference between good and bad, right and wrong. The sense will either grow or diminish depending on the influencers of the child. Actions have consequences, and having empathy means you understand if an activity harms someone, then it is wrong. Understanding that all people feel pain enables a child to care about how others feel. One of the big factors of character is it involves making choices. It means choosing to live a life according to a set of values; it also means choosing to do the right thing and not giving in to shortcuts or compromises. Having character often requires having courage. It means you don’t cave in to peer pressure. It means sticking to your beliefs and values even when everyone around you opposes them. I believe this quote about honor from Walter Lippman defines character as well: “A man has honor if he holds himself to an ideal of conduct though it is inconvenient, unprofitable, or dangerous to do so.” How you react when you’re faced with a challenge or a crisis, is another measure of character. Do you keep your cool? Or do you get ruffled, lose your temper, and behave in ways you later regret? True character is revealed when things go wrong, during a crisis, when the pressure peaks and the stakes are high. In today’s world - especially in the cities where most people live - there are surveillance cameras everywhere. Nearly every move we make is caught and recorded. Simultaneously, people are tracked by their cars and mobile phones. Our texts and phone calls are monitored by the National Security Agency. And, along with DNA evidence accurately pinpointing the perpetrators of crime - why would anyone be stupid enough to do anything illegal or untoward? Does all of this monitoring improve character? Or does it send a message that we no longer have to maintain it because big brother is watching? Which brings me back to the point of this article: Does character still matter? We might think it doesn’t matter when we observe the corruption of our politicians, the rising crime rate, and the rudeness of people on the Internet. As much as our wireless world may make it seem like we are islands - we are not. It matters where, how, and with whom you spend your time. This adage states another indicator of character: "Show me your friends, and I will tell you who you are." Another version states: “You are the company you keep.” In other words, reputation, like action, speaks louder than words. Your character does matter because it influences the world around you: your children, friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, customers, employees, and acquaintances. Some of the people around you may be longing for acceptance and belonging. Many of them are looking for guidance or leadership of some type, especially in times of uncertainty. If you are exhibiting strong character, people will look to you for direction. Another reason character matters is because having it requires courage. As I pointed out in my article, Stepping into Courage can Liberate You from Many Fears, it is the liberating emotion that empowers you to do so much more with your life. Using courage to practice character strengthens your self-esteem and, in turn, raises your state of consciousness. In conclusion, character remains important for many reasons - including that it can make you feel better about yourself. Robert Robert is an innovation/change speaker, author, and consultant. He works with companies that want to be more competitive through innovation and with people who want to think more creatively. Contact him via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com
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