Let go of external goals like money, fame, or eternal reward as primary motivators for ethical behavior. Instead, strive to be the best person you can be for the sake of being a good human, being mindful of your actions and doing good simply because it is the right thing to do.
Aim for “flourishing” by perfecting the art of being human, which involves consistently embodying the right amount of virtues like generosity, kindness, and courage. This internal state of being, “nailing it” in all aspects of being human, is a worthy goal in itself.
Be aware that many aspects of your life, including personal attributes and opportunities, are the result of luck or “the ovarian lottery,” not solely your own merit. This recognition fosters empathy, helping you understand others’ perspectives and challenges, and serves as the “glue that holds everything together.”
Practice virtues like kindness, generosity, courage, and mildness daily, aiming for the “exact right amount” – neither a deficiency nor an excess. For example, have the right amount of anger directed at the right people for the right reasons, rather than avoiding anger entirely.
When facing ethical dilemmas, consider if you (as a whole person with structural integrity) believe it’s okay for you to perform the action, not just if a theory or numbers justify it. Avoid using people as mere means to an end, maintaining your personal sense of right and wrong.
Listen to your gut feeling or sense of right and wrong, as it represents the accumulated wisdom from your life experiences, parental teachings, friendships, and admired individuals. This deep-seated intuition, the “sum total of all the stuff that you’ve been through,” holds real value in decision-making.
Learn and understand rules not just to follow them, but to discern if they are good or bad, and whether following them is ethically or morally correct. Continuously evaluate and update personal and societal rules, discarding those that don’t make sense and writing new ones.
Recognize that humans are born with natural inclinations towards virtue, altruism, companionship, and community. Nurture these innate “seeds” through practice and conscious effort to develop them into a “flourishing jungle” of ethical behavior.
After securing basic needs and a small emergency fund, consider donating surplus income to highly effective charities that maximize impact. Research charities to ensure your donations are used efficiently to help those in greater need, and regularly assess how to best use your time and resources to improve others’ lives.
Don’t just do the minimum required; consider your fortunate position in life and use small actions, like returning a shopping cart, to make others’ lives a little better at virtually no cost to yourself. This approach makes people’s lives “a tiny, tiny, tiny bit better.”
Engage in actions that make you feel good and boost your self-esteem, such as returning a shopping cart, because doing good intrinsically feels better. Use this internal feedback as a guide for ethical behavior, as “when I do good, I feel good.”
Recognize that there’s a limit to how much morality one can stand; not everything in life needs to be on a moral vector. Cultivate interests, hobbies, and leisure time, as these non-moral dimensions are valuable parts of being a human being and contribute to a well-rounded life.
When unsure about a mundane rule or action, imagine pitching it as a rule to a group of reasonable people you respect. If any of them would veto it, reconsider your action, as this method helps determine a minimum baseline for non-bad behavior.
Don’t just rely on gut feelings about right and wrong; study ethics and philosophy to understand the underlying reasons for moral principles. This deeper understanding helps you comprehend why things are right or wrong, rather than just knowing what is right or wrong.
In a complicated, messy society, small and relatively harmless white lies can sometimes be beneficial for “greasing the wheels” of social interaction and avoiding unnecessary conflict or discomfort. This approach acknowledges the complexities of modern social dynamics.