Red Mosquito

Can character be learned, or is it something that you have? Can character increase? What does it mean to say someone has good character? Should we value character?

Pretty sure you just create a new character if you're not happy with your current one.

Ello Sailor wrote:Pretty sure you just create a new character if you're not happy with your current one.

epilogue would like a word.

The only way to have character is to learn it, because most of what we call "having character" involves deferring rewards, which is not something people are born great at.

true character often develops independently of other people (though never without their influence, positive or negative); sometimes we have to hide what we know is "ourselves" because revealing it would mean losing people we love (and who profess to love us); so we keep the mask we've been taught to wear that means our comfort or safety, until the mask slips; I think this transcends "nature or nature" in importance

washing machine wrote:

Ello Sailor wrote:Pretty sure you just create a new character if you're not happy with your current one.

epilogue would like a word.

He got beef with RPGs?

bart wrote:The only way to have character is to learn it, because most of what we call "having character" involves deferring rewards, which is not something people are born great at.

That's interesting. I do feel like that's part of it (deferring rewards), so are you saying that a good character trait like honesty in a particular situation (like cheating on a test you didn't study for, for instance) is really just a matter of short term loss for long term gain?

How is character learned, then? I feel like teaching character implicitly in schools is a can of worms.

washing machine wrote:

Ello Sailor wrote:Pretty sure you just create a new character if you're not happy with your current one.

epilogue would like a word.

Explain

Ello Sailor wrote:

washing machine wrote:

Ello Sailor wrote:Pretty sure you just create a new character if you're not happy with your current one.

epilogue would like a word.

He got beef with RPGs?

I do not.

the easy answer is modeling character. a lot of what shapes us is environmental.

epilogue wrote:

washing machine wrote:

Ello Sailor wrote:Pretty sure you just create a new character if you're not happy with your current one.

epilogue would like a word.

Explain

You changed your name from durden to epilogue? :shrugs:

Not all of us are handsome enough to be modeling characters, dad. Christian Slater lookin' ass.

This looks like a good opportunity to talk about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

bodysnatcher wrote:This looks like a good opportunity to talk about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Hair modeling character. That's a good one.

dad wrote:the easy answer is modeling character. a lot of what shapes us is environmental.

What about a playground full of baddies? If there's a lack of character around the environment, is there some innate sense of character meekly hiding below or is all lost? Can someone just *have* good character?

Outside of being taught or having role models as a kid, do different people have different natural abilities (or tendencies) to innately know what’s right and wrong? People certainly have definitions of that. I guess character is the ability to act on that inner feeling?

washing machine wrote:

dad wrote:the easy answer is modeling character. a lot of what shapes us is environmental.

What about a playground full of baddies? If there's a lack of character around the environment, is there some innate sense of character meekly hiding below or is all lost? Can someone just *have* good character?

i think that falls into the parents/guardians' hands to communicate (ask questions/be nosy) about character and what good and bad character look like, and how each has its consequences.

if there's a lack of parental guidance, it's a harder job to build "good" character.

Ello Sailor wrote:Not all of us are handsome enough to be modeling characters, dad. Christian Slater lookin' ass.

i will model your heart into believing in yourself, bub.

bodysnatcher wrote:Outside of being taught or having role models as a kid, do different people have different natural abilities (or tendencies) to innately know what’s right and wrong? People certainly have definitions of that. I guess character is the ability to act on that inner feeling?

Yeah, I kind of define character as the sum of one's behavior in a variety of moral or ethical situations. But then it somehow goes beyond that, but I can't fully articulate how. For example, I consider grit and authenticity as good character traits, but neither are things I would consider "moral".

washing machine wrote:

epilogue wrote:

washing machine wrote:

Ello Sailor wrote:Pretty sure you just create a new character if you're not happy with your current one.

epilogue would like a word.

Explain

You changed your name from durden to epilogue? :shrugs:

I see. So how come you wouldn't like a word? Since you've changed your username as well?