“America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. – Harry S. Truman
Democracy, Democracy, Democracy.
“The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy.” – H. L. Mencken
Glory and Duty Done
“We identify the flag with almost everything we hold dear on earth, peace, security, liberty, our family, our friends, our home. . . But when we look at our flag
Democracy: An Idea
“It is not enough to merely defend democracy. To defend it may be to lose it; to extend it is to strengthen it. Democracy is not property; it is an idea.” – Hubert Humphrey
Greatest Quotes Ever on America & Democracy
– compiled by Michael Josephson – Lots of cynics and clever pundits take potshots at the deficiencies of democracy ignoring the it great attributes.
COMMENTARY: Doctoring With a Heart
When you visit a medical specialist, an emergency room, or a patient in the hospital, are you ever struck by a sense that many doctors are so focused on the scientific aspects of diagnosis and treatment of illness or injury that they ignore, maybe even become annoyed by, things like pain, fear, or anxiety? In her book Medicine as Ministry, …
MLK National Day of Service
The significance of your life is enlarged by your service to others. Play a role and encourage your family and friends to
Service is the Road to Significance
The legacy of Martin Luther King is not just what he did for civil rights but his message of service.
New things to look for
Here’s a list of some content and format changes. Please let us know what you think.
Ethics are about ought
Ethics are about the ought, not the is. Ethics are not about the way things are, but about the way they should be. – Michael Josephson. – Ethics are
Leadership empowers
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. – Lao Tzu. – Real leaders
America
America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. – Abraham Lincoln — America is great because
Never stop learning
Life never stops teaching. Be sure you never stop learning. – Michael Josephson
Work for a cause, not applause.
Work for cause, not for applause. Live life to express, not to impress. Don’t strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt. – Unknown
25 Searing Images of Segregation and Racism
The core deep ugliness and inhumanity of words like hate, prejudice, segregation and racism has been softened by the frequency of their use and the tendency to
Let no one pull you down so low as to make you hate him.
Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys
The Wisdom and Philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
For a man who never reached the age of 40, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., left a powerful and important body of thought. He was a preacher and orator, so rather than writing in the form of books or treatises, Dr. King
Are you examining your life?
– -Is it really true that the un-examined life is not worth living? – Today, Socrates is thought of as one of the world’s great philosophers, but to the leaders of Greece he was annoying
Remembering the Civil Rights Movement
I grew up in the 1960’s and remember the tumultuous times in which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., made his historic mark on American society. Dr. King was always
Martin Luther King Day Speech by Michael Josephson
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is one of my heroes.
“I Have a Dream” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Delivered 28 August 1963, Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.
We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies. -
Martin Luther King, Jr., Loving Your Enemies
Do you know when to back off?
-There are two sides to the respect coin. One is to pay attention to people, to hear them out. Another is to back off rather than browbeat someone who doesn’t agree with you. – I’ve talked before about the ethical obligation
Why Martin Luther King Is a Hero
The dictionary defines a hero as “a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.” A “personal hero”
Notes to the Boss
Based on years of managing several organizations, including the Josephson Institute of Ethics, and on extensive consultation with large and small organizations, I’ve distilled much of what I believe and advocate into “Ten Truths.” I hope you find this list helpful. Feel free to share it with colleagues and friends.
Better to be wise than right
If you want to become wise, treat every conversation as an opportunity to learn. If you want to influence others, treat every conversation as an opportunity to understand, not
Facebook Post of Daughter’s Compassion Makes Mom Proud
I’d like to share a posting from the Facebook page “Paying it Forward ~ One Day at a Time.” The author, Beth, shares a truly inspirational and beautiful story: Tonight is one that I won’t easily be able to forget — and for good reason. There’s this homeless man that I see VERY often, and it’s always hard to drive …
Shopping carts and character
– There are two kind of people: those who return their shopping carts and those who don’t. – When we think about character, we tend to envision really big things, like taking heavy risks, committing bold acts of integrity, being grandly generous, or making tough sacrifices. Such noble choices indicate character,