My Rules
Three rules
for heroes:
One:
Stand
for hard
truth.
Especially
when it’s
unpopular.
Two:
Protect
the vulnerable.
Even
when it
costs you
everything.
Three:
Ignore
cheap critics.
They never
step into
the fire.
Why I Wrote This
These are my three personal rules. I’m not claiming to live them out perfectly. Each one is something I return to, again and again, trying to do a little better.
Standing for truth sounds simple until it costs something. Protecting the vulnerable feels urgent, but it’s easy to look away. And ignoring critics is harder than it should be when the noise is constant.
This poem isn’t about being heroic in the big, dramatic sense. It’s about practicing courage one quiet choice at a time. These are the rules I’m working on. Maybe they’ll help you find your own.
Measure Your Moral Compass
Curious how your instincts line up with widely studied moral values? Try the Moral Foundations Test developed by social psychologists Jonathan Haidt, Jesse Graham, and Craig Joseph. It’s a thoughtful 48‑question quiz that measures how much you prioritize Care, Fairness, Liberty, Loyalty, Authority, and Purity—six pillars of moral decision‑making.
Find Common Ground with Braver Angels
If you’re tired of shouting matches and political extremes, you’re not alone. Braver Angels is a national movement bringing Americans together—not to agree on everything, but to learn how to disagree respectfully and rebuild trust across the political divide.
Through workshops, debates, and honest conversations, Braver Angels helps people listen better, speak more thoughtfully, and understand each other beyond party lines. It’s for anyone who believes courage isn’t just about fighting—but about staying in the room when it’s hard.
If you’re working on your own hero’s code, this is a good place to practice.