Home › Resources ›
MAXIMize the Moment Volume 1, Issue 24

MAXIMize the Moment Volume 1, Issue 24

April 8, 2002
Document
Topic: 
MAXIMize the Moment

I really wish I didn't know. I wish I hadn't seen Alex cheating. But I did. I looked up at the wrong time during a test and now I'm stuck with this problem. It's not fair. I didn't do anything wrong, but somehow I have all this weighing on my conscience. Somehow it became my problem.

So I have to do something about it. And Alex is going to get all mad at me. He'll say that I ratted him out and he may even make other people mad at me, too. Alex always makes a big deal about loyalty and I'm sure he'll say that I betrayed him. I wish that doing the right thing didn't have to be so hard. But it is.

I just don't know if I have the strength to do the right thing. I'm not sure that I'm up to dealing with Alex and his attitude. Maybe I can just ignore it. Alex is the one who did something wrong, not me. It doesn't have to be my problem. I can still be an honest person-even if Alex isn't.

Then I think of a quote by Winston Churchill that I read in a book: "Courage is the first of human qualities because it… guarantees all the others." For the first time, I realize what it means. If I know the right thing to do and want to be a good person, but don't have the courage to actually do the right thing, then my good intentions are meaningless. Being a person of character means doing the right thing, not just wanting to. I want to be a person of moral courage because "Courage is the first of human qualities because it… guarantees all the others."

This week's maxim is "Courage is the first of human qualities because it… guarantees all the others."

Teacher Information

Maxim

  • "Courage is the first of human qualities because it… guarantees all the others."
    Sir Winston Churchill

Featured character trait

  • Courage- I am willing to do what is difficult.

Character points (for substitution if this week's trait isn't one of your school's core values)

  • Fortitude- I have the strength to live by my convictions.
  • Leadership- I am able to take charge and be a good example.
  • Responsibility- I recognize my duty and honor it.
  • Honor - I recognize the difference between right and wrong and act based on my beliefs.
  • Integrity- My actions and decisions are guided by my values.

Discussion starters / journal writing prompts

  • The narrator in this week's story does not do anything wrong, but he still ends up having to grapple with an ethical dilemma. Do you think that situation is realistic? Does that sort of scenario happen frequently?
  • What are some other examples of situations in which the unethical choices of another person force you to make an ethical decision?
  • What is the best way for the narrator to deal with this situation?
  • Would the narrator be doing something wrong if he did nothing?
  • Is there a way he can show courage and integrity, while still being loyal to Alex?
  • Does he have an obligation to try to do that? Why or why not?
  • Do you agree with this week's maxim? Why or why not?
  • Do you agree with the narrator that is difficult to do the right thing?
  • What makes it difficult to do the right thing?
  • Do you think it is harder to know the right thing to do or to actually do it?
  • What helps you to do the right thing, even when you are hesitant or afraid to take action?
  • Do you agree that the narrator in this week's story had to take action to deal with Alex's dishonesty? Why or why not?
  • What if the situation were changed somewhat… Alex and the narrator work at the same company. Alex is misrepresenting the financial status of the company and the narrator discovers it. If the narrator says something, he might get fired. If he doesn't, the company may go bankrupt and lots of people will lose their jobs. Does the narrator now have to act and do the right thing? Is this scenario very different? Why or why not?
  • What constitutes cheating? How often do you see it here?

Related Links