The three virtues we need

Comment is free

Series: Citizen ethics

The three virtues we need

Courage, modesty and intellectual curiosity can go a long way in cultivating delight in daily life, and protecting our liberties

Comments (34)

Philip Pullman guardian.co.uk, Sunday 21 February 2010 14.00 GMT

At first sight, of course, vice is more attractive. She is sexier, she promises to be better company than her plain sister virtue. Every novelist, and every reader too, has more fun with the villains than with the good guys. Goodness is staunch and patient, but wickedness is vivid and dynamic; we admire the first, but we thrill to the second.

Nevertheless, I want to say a word in praise of virtue: the quality or qualities that enable a nation and its citizens to live well, by which I mean morally well.

But I seem to be describing delight. Is that a virtue too? Well, it’s like the canary in a coal mine: while it continues to sing, we know the great public virtue of liberty is still alive. A nation whose laws express fear and suspicion and hostility cannot sustain delight for very long. If joy goes, freedom is in danger.
So I would say that to sustain the virtue of a nation, we need to remember how the private connects with the public, the poetic with the political. We need to praise and cherish every example we can find of imaginative play, of the energy of creation, of the enchantment of art and the wonder of science. A nation that was brave, and modest, and curious sounds to me like one that understood that if it told its children stories, they might grow up to feel that virtue was in fact as interesting as vice.

  http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/21/three-virtues-delight-liberty

 • Read the Citizen Ethics pamphlet in full here

Citizen Ethics in a Time of Crisis

A pamphlet of prominent thinkers exploring key questions about ethics today

guardian.co.uk, Saturday 20 February 2010 06.00 GMT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/20/citizen-ethics-time-of-crisis

Viikkosanomat sunnuntaina 2010-02-22 klo 00:46. /pm

http://www.viikkosanomat.fi blogi

http://www.viikkosanomat.fi/viikkosanomat.html lehti

http://www.nettisanomat.com lehti

1 666 Responses to “The three virtues we need”

  1. Waiter, what’s this bug doing waltzing around my table! It’s the band, sir, they are playing his tune!

  2. tennis livescore kirjoitti:

    It is really nice post, but I do not see everything completely clear, especially for someone not involved in that topic. Anyway very interesting to me.

  3. Xiao Sharer kirjoitti:

    Nice post. I be taught one thing more challenging on different blogs everyday. It can all the time be stimulating to learn content material from different writers and apply a bit one thing from their store. I’d want to make use of some with the content material on my weblog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll provide you with a hyperlink in your internet blog. Thanks for sharing.

  4. tennis livescore kirjoitti:

    Good an very informative post. I will come back to your blog regullary. One thing: I do not exactly know what do you mean in the second paragraph. Could you please exmplain your opinion?

  5. tennis live kirjoitti:

    I think it is a really point of view. I usually meet people who rather say what they suppose others want to hear. Good and well written! I will come back to your site for sure!

  6. How To Start a Blog kirjoitti:

    Hello, I just hopped over in your web page via StumbleUpon. No longer one thing I might usually read, but I favored your feelings none the less. Thanks for making one thing worth reading.

  7. web hosting options kirjoitti:

    My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was entirely right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t imagine simply how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!

  8. trifonas janesy vanderlek frilly habicht Nikoletta undermentioned wamai mog d8cd98f0

  9. Marna Mcguyer kirjoitti:

    This domain seems to recieve a good ammount of visitors. How do you get traffic to it? It offers a nice individual spin on things. I guess having something authentic or substantial to give info on is the most important thing.

  10. mix and master kirjoitti:

    I ran into this page on accident, surprisingly, this is a amazing website. The site owner has done a great job writing/collecting articles to post, the info here is really and helpful when i do research. Now i am going to bookmark this internet site so that I can revisit in the future.

  11. Fidel Pylant kirjoitti:

    Super-Duper website! I’m loving it!! Will come again again – taking you feeds also, Thanks.

  12. How To Start a Blog kirjoitti:

    Thank you for making the sincere attempt to speak about this. I believe very sturdy approximately it and wish to read more. If it’s OK, as you achieve extra intensive wisdom, would you thoughts adding extra articles very similar to this one with additional info? It might be extremely helpful and helpful for me and my friends.

  13. Albert Manriquez kirjoitti:

    Thank you so much for writing this good info! Looking forward to checking out more posts.

  14. Edmond Doxbeck kirjoitti:

    The informal post encouraged me a lot! Saved your blog, extremely interesting categories everywhere that I read here! I really appreciate the info, thank you.

  15. hostmonster forum kirjoitti:

    Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your blog and in accession capital to assert that I acquire actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently fast.

  16. Isobel Welton kirjoitti:

    Thanks very much for posting all of the great content! Looking forward to reading more.

  17. pharmacy tech kirjoitti:

    Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!

  18. free std testing kirjoitti:

    Yo, this information is a blessing. Everyone should go to the docs and make sure they arent spreading stuff like HIV or other things.

  19. Marcellus Delilla kirjoitti:

    This great article encouraged me very much! Saved your site, very interesting topics just about everywhere that I see here! I really appreciate the info, thanks.

  20. I’m often to running a blog and i actually admire your content. The article has actually peaks my interest. I’m going to bookmark your website and hold checking for brand new information.

  21. Angele Siddique kirjoitti:

    Very educating blog, bookmarked your site in hopes to see more!

  22. Tomasa Cremers kirjoitti:

    Thanks so much for sharing all of the great content! I am looking forward to checking out more posts.

  23. Freida Mullinex kirjoitti:

    The educational article encouraged me very much! Bookmarked the website, very excellent topics just about everywhere that I see here! I really appreciate the info, thanks.

  24. Kingsley Provine kirjoitti:

    Aweseme post. I used to spend many my time water info and playing sports. It absolutely was possibly the most exclusive period of my past and your post kind of brought back us of these time. Thanks – A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is just putting on its shoes. Mark Twain 1835 1910

  25. Robbin Washburn kirjoitti:

    Sorry for the huge review, but I’m really loving the new Zune, and hope this, as well as the excellent reviews some other people have written, will help you decide if it’s the right choice for you.

  26. Vanda Lucero kirjoitti:

    Apple now has Rhapsody as an app, which is a great start, but it is currently hampered by the inability to store locally on your iPod, and has a dismal 64kbps bit rate. If this changes, then it will somewhat negate this advantage for the Zune, but the 10 songs per month will still be a big plus in Zune Pass’ favor.

  27. Create A Shirt kirjoitti:

    Whats up, I simply hopped over to your website online by the use of StumbleUpon. Now not one thing I might normally read, but I preferred your feelings none the less. Thanks for making something price reading.

  28. Hey there, You have done a fantastic job. I will certainly digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I am sure they will be benefited from this site.

  29. Create A Shirt kirjoitti:

    I’ve been studying your entries during my morning holiday, and I must admit the entire article has been very enlightening and very well written. I thought I might can help you understand that for a few reason why this weblog does now not view neatly in Internet Explorer 8. I wish Microsoft may forestall changing their software. I’ve a query for you. Could you mind replacing weblog roll links? That would be really neat!

  30. Whitney Bokal kirjoitti:

    I am going to share this with all of my friends.. additionally, Thanks a lot on your informative content material this specific informations really usefull.. and then, Keep up the great work!!. additionally, Everybody should take the time to publish posts as good as this one and never saturate the internet with nothing..!

  31. ficuleseo kirjoitti:

    thanks for this nice post 111213

  32. Kris Fuentez kirjoitti:

    Hiya! I just wish to give a huge thumbs up for the nice information you might have here on this post. I might be coming back to your blog for extra soon.

  33. Desperately been searching practically everywhere on news regarding this. Thanks a lot.

  34. studia prawo kirjoitti:

    Very interesting stuff in your blog, especially its discussion. keep it up!!

  35. Jacquelyn Andreadis kirjoitti:

    very good submit, i definitely love this web site, keep on it

  36. Stealing would be a nice thing, if thieves were hanged by the girdle. – Spanish Proverb

  37. wheatgrass new york kirjoitti:

    The Internet treats censorship as a malfunction and routes around it. – John Perry Barlow

  38. presse pronostic kirjoitti:

    ukelele median clegg boyfriends overwork Pierrick terriblement fowlkes ragbag

  39. Geraldo Speidell kirjoitti:

    Can I just say what a relief to find somebody who actually knows what theyre speaking about on the internet. You positively know tips on how to convey a problem to mild and make it important. Extra folks have to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant consider youre no more widespread because you definitely have the gift.

  40. Dominique Ruoho kirjoitti:

    This formal post helped me a lot! Saved your site, extremely interesting categories everywhere that I read here! I really like the information, thanks.

  41. Amado Chech kirjoitti:

    Great story, saved your website with hopes to read more information!

  42. fdjeux kirjoitti:

    Meggi profitable barabajagal billdocker esham saltlick caste Randhir ken

  43. dating asian site kirjoitti:

    Wow, suprisingly I never knew this. Keep up with good posts.

  44. Terrilyn Kranwinkle kirjoitti:

    Thank you very much for posting a lot of this good content! Looking forward to checking out more posts!

  45. Maximo Blois kirjoitti:

    Very educating post, bookmarked your site in hopes to see more!

  46. Peg Corbridge kirjoitti:

    Amazing summary, saved your website for hopes to read more information!

  47. Good an very informative post. I will come back to your blog regullary. One thing: I do not exactly know what do you mean in the second paragraph. Could you please exmplain your opinion?

  48. wheatgrass drink kirjoitti:

    Alan Greenspan~ How do we know when irrational exuberance has unduly escalated asset values

  49. whereabouts prevalent purdy hoxie shepp radj nena vulgarize Tatum

  50. Movers Boston kirjoitti:

    Thanks for taking the time to post this. I look forward to reading more and checking back often.