Americans have long taken seriously the pursuit of happiness, but sometimes we lose sight of the bigger picture. As Thomas Jefferson wrote, "Happiness is the aim of life ... [but] virtue is the foundation of happiness." Two centuries later, Barack Obama reminded us that virtue is what really matters.
Virtue is important in the daily lives of individuals and families, in the workplace, in school, and in the larger community. Good character is what spouses look for in one another, what parents look for in their children, what friends look for in each other, what workers look for in their bosses and colleagues, and what citizens look for in their leaders.
In his inaugural address, President Obama mentioned character and virtue in virtually every sentence. For example:
We the People have remained FAITHFUL.
We have chosen HOPE over fear ... unity of purpose (TEAMWORK) over conflict.
The time has come to set aside childish things (WISDOM).
All are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance (FAIRNESS).
Greatness is never a given. It must be earned (PERSEVERANCE).
Our security emanates from the justness of our cause ... the tempering qualities of HUMILITY and restraint (SELF-REGULATION)
We will extend a hand to you if you are willing to unclench your fist (FORGIVENESS).
It is the KINDNESS to take in a stranger when the levee breaks.
It is the firefighter's courage (BRAVERY) to storm a stairway filled with smoke ... a parent's willingness to nurture a child (LOVE).
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new, but those values upon which our success depends, HONESTY and HARD WORK, COURAGE and FAIR PLAY, TOLERANCE and CURIOSITY, LOYALTY and PATRIOTISM - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.
Since 2000, we have been involved in a project that identifies, assesses, and studies the most important virtues that are consensually valued across time and place. Our list of character strengths included 24 positive traits which we grouped into six larger virtue categories: (1) strengths of knowledge (creativity, curiosity, judgment, love of learning, wisdom); (2) strengths of fortitude (bravery, honesty, perseverance, zest); (3) strengths of humanity (kindness, love, social intelligence); (4) strengths of justice and community (fairness, leadership, teamwork); (5) strengths of temperance (forgiveness, modesty, prudence, self-regulation); and (6) strengths of transcendence (appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, humor and playfulness, religiousness and faith).
What has taken us eight years to do, President Barack Obama accomplished in his 18-minute speech. He mentioned 23 of the 24 strengths of character that are most important, and he managed to weave them into a coherent and inspiring message.
The one strength of character that went unmentioned, humor and playfulness, showed itself in force for the rest of the day as the President and the First Lady attended a dozen balls and celebrations, dancing, joking, and savoring, despite the challenges ahead.
Our research has shown that character strengths and virtues have important consequences in life. Happiness is strongly determined by such strengths as love, hope, gratitude, curiosity, and zest. Bravery, kindness, gratitude and hope play a role in successful recovery from illness. Effective teachers are socially intelligent and display humor and zest. Children with perseverance, gratitude, and love (ability to establish relationships) do better at school. Virtues are not simply the foundation of happiness. They are the foundation of a good society.
President Obama ended his inaugural address by quoting George Washington's stirring words from 1776 that hope and virtue can survive even the coldest winter. As it once was, so it can be again. We the people should never stop talking about what really matters, and we thank President Obama for reopening the conversation and reminding us that virtues can help us survive and indeed thrive. Virtues do not belong in dusty books or even dustier discourse among scholars. Virtues belong in our everyday life, where they matter so much.
Christopher Peterson & Nansook Park
