Julianna Dinkha

Mrs.Carroll

American Literature

30 April 2017

Virtue

Ethics is a very complicated subject with many themes. But what I have gathered, is that

ethics is in the eye of the beholder. What is ethical to me, might not be considered ethical to

someone else. To me, an act is just when it is done with good intentions. All of my ten rules fit

into the Virtue Framework more so than any other framework. In the Virtue Framework we try

to identify the characteristics that accurately portray us as we would like to be seen. While this

framework doesnt aim to do as much good as the others, it develops one's character. And what

is wrong with wanting everyone to think that you are a good person, especially when you really

are?

My first rule to live by is to Do No Harm. This rule is important because hurting someone

physically or mentally is not a necessity. Hurting someone is not something one has to do. One

might feel tempted to harm another person if that person has done something horrible and they

want to get revenge. But what many people dont realize is that getting them back just makes

you just as bad of a person by stooping to their level. This fits into the Virtue Framework

because it is useful in situations that ask what sort of person one should be (Sandel 34). The

question is, should I get revenge or should I be the bigger person? The only time that a person
would be considered right and justified in hurting someone is if they were being seriously hurt or

in danger. Only when it is out of self defense, is it okay to harm someone.

My second rule is to forgive. Forgiveness is essential to living in the present. One can not

truly be happy if they are dwelling on the past or worried about the future. The reason why

many people dwell on the past is because something so terrible was done to them that they cant

seem to move on. It is important to know that the past is the past. This is very much a natural

duty in that forgiving someone doesnt require consent (Sandel 6). I could just hold a grudge

forever, but as a rational being, I will choose not to. And while it is important to forgive, one

must never forget. Not forgetting helps us to avoid further betrayal. This rule connects to the

Virtue Framework because of the way it strengthens and builds character.

Rule #3 is to be loyal. When a person is loyal, it often means that they are trustworthy as

well. Everyone needs to have people that they can depend on in their lives no matter how

independent they may be. And your loyalty to another person or group will also ensure their

loyalty to you. Being loyal is a natural duty that we owe to all rational human beings (Sandel 1).

It is also something that we owe to the people we are close to or have a history with, otherwise

known as an obligation of solidarity. This fits into the Virtue Framework because being loyal is

something that a totally virtuous would try to be.

The fourth rule is to have a sense of humor. Heinous things happens around the world

everyday and how could we get through it all without laughter? We also live in a world where

everyone has to be so politically correct. This can get exhausting after awhile, which is where

the sense of humor comes into play. But having a sense of humor does not mean that you

shouldnt take things seriously. It is important to know when it is appropriate to be funny. This
relates to the Virtue Framework because this rule is all about developing one's character rather

than helping them decide what actions to take in a given moment (Sandel 44).

My fifth rule is to be honest. Being honest is important because like Rule #3, it means that

you can be trusted. Telling the truth is far easier than telling a lie, but might be harder. Someone

might be inclined to lie if they think that they sparing another persons feelings. One must

always think of the consequences because sometimes the truth can do more harm than good.

Telling the truth however, will give you the satisfaction of knowing that you did the right thing

or at least attempted to do so. Also like Rule #3, it is a natural duty and an obligation of solitary.

This fits into the Virtue Framework because it allows for a wide range of behaviors to be called

ethical (Sandel 35). In a given situation one could make the argument that telling the truth is

not the most ethical thing to do.

Rule #6 is to have an open mind. Being stubborn and closed minded does not go down well

when working with other people. Your open mindedness could bring about important

compromises and understanding. Being open minded also mean that you have to be willing to

subject yourself to change. The important thing to remember here is that change isnt always a

bad thing. This is a natural duty that we have to others because we owe it to them to not create

trouble and disagreement. This fits into the Virtue Framework because ones experiences,

emotions, and thoughts can influence how open minded you are towards a person or an idea

(Sandel 39).

Rule #7 is to have courage. This to me, is the most important rule. If people didnt have

courage, then they wouldnt be able to carry out any of their other rules. It takes a great deal of

courage to be honest and loyal and open minded. Being courageous could not only help you, but
other people as well. For this reason, it is a natural duty because not only to we owe it to all

people to be courageous, but especially to those who dont have courage of their own. This

connects to the Virtue Framework because it emphasizes the importance of role models

(Sandel 44).

My eighth rule is to be humble. Being humble means that you are modest and have a low

estimate of your self importance. It doesnt mean that you are not confident, it just means that

you know where you stand. To think that you are the most important person in the world is, in a

word, annoying. This is a natural duty that we owe to all people to be the best versions of

ourselves. This fits into the Virtue Framework because in the summary, it says that a virtuous

person asks what their actions show about their character. No one wants to be seen as

overbearing and superior.

The ninth rule to live by is to educate yourself. It is imperative that we learn everything that

we can. Educating yourself doesnt just mean do well in school, it also means educate yourself

about people and life in general. Having that common knowledge and the ability to think

critically could even save lives. You might know something that someone else doesnt. This

relates to the Virtue Framework because it emphasizes the importance of education to ethical

behavior (Sandel 44). This education could make you more qualified to judge how ethical

something is.

My tenth and final rule is to be generous. Generosity is an act of love and not something that

we have to do but is something that we choose to do. This is an obligation of solidarity because

we are most generous with the people that we care about. But it is very important that people

know that our generosity does not mean that we can be taken advantage of. My being generous
one time, does not mean that I will again. This goes into the Virtue Framework because it

focuses on the kind of person we should be.

My ten rules have come a long way since day one. I developed these rules by thinking about

the way I treat others and how I want others to treat me. A lot of these rules stemmed from my

childhood and some of them came from the opinions I started to develop as I got older. My list

has gone though a lot of revision. I have altered and have taken out entire rules. A lot of my

rules were fairly similar to one another and weak. Some of them were a little selfish too. They

were more about the duties that I have to myself rather than the duties that I have to others.

I do like to think that I live by my rules already (most of the time). Being a good person is

something that I truly do try to be. I have many examples of good people in my life and I have

learned a lot from them. But I do also know that no one is perfect and that no one will ever be.

If the world lived by my rules, the world would be a much calmer place. People wouldnt be

fighting over things of little importance and would be able to communicate better with each

others.