Chapter 3 – Character Matters

Read: What would you do? (pg.57)
**Write your answers to the questions in your notes notebook

What is Character?

What is Character?

From Simple to Complicated

  • The simplest description of character is the person’s reputation
  • Reputation: how a person is viewed by other people
  • Some people are known for their honesty and for being trustworthy, others are not
  • Some people generally treat others well, and others are just looking out for themselves
  • Your reputation develops over time based on your day to day actions
  • You may different from time to time but for the most part your behavior stays fairly consistent.
  • While reputation is the simple description of character the definition is a little more complicated.
  • Character: the combination of qualities and attributes (traits) that make one person different from others.
  • Good character comes from being aware of the traits and qualities that are viewed as positive by most people.
  • Good character=good reputation
  • Character is demonstrated when you find yourself in a tough situation and you are forced to choose. When you think your actions really don’t make a difference.
  • Good character also means recognizing the wrong decisions you have made and making up for them, if possible and learning from them.

Components of Character

  • The attributes and qualities that make up character are complex
  • These may change based on the country you are in, the culture in which you live or your family
  • Some qualities are viewed as more or less important and may receive more attention at times
  • There is a general agreement on two components of character
  • Personal Characteristics
  • Personal Characteristics: individual attributes that make up your personality and guide your actions
  • Good personal characteristics are: honesty, truthfulness, reliability, responsibility and self-discipline
  • Relationships with others
  • Relationships: the way you interact and deal with others
  • Some relationships can be life-long or very brief, but how you interact with them demonstrates your character
  • Important characteristics of effective relationships are: respect, fairness, trust, loyalty, caring and good citizenship

How Do You Recognize Character?

What do people do demonstrate they are honest, loyal, trustworthy and fair?

What makes you cautious about believing that a person has the best characteristic traits?

Developing Character

  • When you first meet someone it is hard to judge their character.
  • People are not born with good or bad character
  • Character can change from good to bad and bad to good based on experiences, needs and relationships
  • Young children learn their behaviors from their parents, brothers, sisters or other adults they spend a lot of time with.
  • Sometimes you are presented with a conflicting situation.
  • With time and experience children will begin to understand their decisions and actions affect their relationships with others
  • Value: a strongly held belief that guides individual actions
  • Age, experience and guidance from important adults help develop your values
  • Some values are more strongly held than others
  • It is possible due to lack of guidance, poor examples, regular punishment, or other factors a person can develop values that result in poor character

Evidence of Character

  • It is difficult to be around people who are dishonest, disrespectful, or unreliable.
  • If you associate with these people who have these characteristics others may begin to believe you approve of those actions or share those values
  • “Actions speak louder than words” this is a true statement in the fact that it is hard to know a person’s character until they face a situation that requires action.

**Answer questions on pg.63

When Character is Missing

The Importance of Character

On a day to day basis you probably don’t think a lot about character

Even though you may not be thinking about character, it does affect you in important settings and relationships

Everyone is a member of several social groups

Social Group: a group of people that depend on each other for their well-being

There are three important social groups; Family/Friends, School, and Work

Family and Friends

  • You spend time the most with family and friends so you do not knowingly consider how those relationships are affected by character
  • You share more values and beliefs with this group than any other
  • They are your support network
  • These are the people you can count on when you have problems, the ones you share your successes with
  • Your family is the first social group you belong to
  • Your family is one of the most important influences on you and your activities, interests and values
  • You can also be disappointed when a family member doesn’t meet your expectations
  • Long-time friends will seem like family and you will develop different relationships with them compared to your casual friends
  • These relationships with family and close friends matter more than any other relationship in your life
  • These people may disappoint you but since they are special you will try to be understanding with them

School

  • Your school experience will contribute to your character
  • This also gives you a platform to demonstrate your character
  • Most of these relationships that you develop in school will be short term, however a few of them will last long-term
  • Character of individuals can affect the organization you participate in
  • There is an expectation of good citizenship in school
  • Citizenship: participating effectively in an organization, supporting its goals, and contributing to its success
  • Good citizenship at school produces a good learning environment for everyone
  • A student’s citizenship revels a lot about their character

Work

  • People’s first jobs are usually selected to provide extra income or to gain experience
  • Career Track: a series of related jobs ranging from entry level to advanced positions that help fulfill career goals
  • You will choose these jobs based on your education, skills and interest
  • No matter what job you choose you will be affected by the people around you
  • Interaction with co-workers, supervisors and customers can affect your job because each of these people will have a different character.
  • Your beliefs and values will affect the amount and quality of work done

The Results of Poor Character

Poor character will have a greater effect on you and others around you more than you realize

The Effect on You

  • The effects of being around those with poor character can be both emotional and physical
  • These people may be dishonest, disrespectful, or don’t demonstrate self-discipline
  • You expect these people will embarrass you or create problems
  • If these things occur you will have to decide if you want to be involved or not
  • Do you risk supporting them and have others view you the same way? Do you ignore it and hope it goes away? Or do you confront them and try to get them to do the right thing?
  • More often the person with poor character will be someone you are not close to. But you will still be affected by it
  • Does someone cheating on a test/project affect the whole class? Do the actions of a few employees affect the other employees?
  • When you are around people who frequently create problems you will be uncomfortable
  • Will you be the target or will you be affected?

The Effect on Others

  • If you demonstrate poor character will people trust you? Will they avoid you?
  • What you do does matter
  • If you continue to repeat examples of poor character most people will go out of their way to avoid you

Character Matters

  • Most of your decisions and actions affect your character and how others view you
  • It affects your mental and physical health
  • Good character and good citizenship contribute greatly to your success and your current happiness

**Answer questions on pg.69 (in notebook)

Acting Ethically

What is Ethics?

If someone damaged school property and you know about it should you tell someone? Or should you wait until you are asked about it?

What if the damage was accidental?

What if you had a sick child who needed medicine but you couldn’t afford it what would you do? Would you steal it?

Both situations present with difficult choices between right and wrong

Both decisions are very serious

Both decisions involve ethics

Right vs. Wrong

  • Ethics: the decisions and actions of individuals and groups based on an understanding of right and wrong
  • Your values are strongly held beliefs that guide your actions
  • Ethics are very closely related to your values
  • If you don’t think carefully about important decisions you may end up doing something you will regret later.
  • Decisions can be difficult but if you base them on your values you usually feel good about your actions

Rules and Procedures

  • Because of the different backgrounds and cultures not everyone shares the same values and ethical beliefs
  • Some people may not have been taught the importance of ethical beliefs
  • So to ensure that everyone understands what is acceptable and unacceptable groups and organizations develop rules
  • Your family and school have rules you have to follow
  • If you participate in extracurricular activities you are expected to follow each of their sets of rules
  • Rule: a written statement of appropriate actions that people are expected to follow
  • Rules are developed to keep order and organization to the group
  • Procedures:a series of steps and actions that must be followed to complete an activity
  • Examples: fire drills, procedures to follow for certain classes, procedures for calling in sick to work, or operating a piece of equipment at work
  • Procedures are more specific than rules
  • They tell what exactly needs to be done to complete the task successfully
  • Ethics are deeply held beliefs and values
  • If your beliefs are strong you will make your actions based on those beliefs
  • You will usually do what is right and you will feel bad if you do something that goes against your beliefs and values

A Code of Ethics

Individuals and families have their own values and beliefs

Usually they will be similar between family members

These values and beliefs have been passed down from generation to generation

Some will come from spiritual or religious beliefs

Groups and organization members need to understand why the rules and procedures were developed in order for the people to support them

Many groups and organizations develop a code of ethics

Code of Ethics: a written statement of the beliefs and values that should guide the actions of the group

When people join the group or organization they will have to agree to the code of ethics

Sample Codes of Ethics

A code of ethics should be meaningful and understandable

It will communicate what is important to the organization

Some are long and detailed others are short and concise

Character and Ethics

Acting ethically on a daily basis does not come from memorizing the specific code

Ethical decisions come from the elements of good character

If you are concerned with how your actions affect others, you will usually exhibit ethical behavior

**Answer questions on pg.75 (in notebook)