<I think I pointed out in another post that most people do not sit down and seriously philosophically analyze their moral code. It is something they absorbed from parents, neighbors, schoolteachers, and yes, churches. A surprising number of kids learn about helping other people from the Boy Scouts.

Boy Scouts? I am not among them. My older brother, on the other hand, was (for about a year), and I think he’s a pretty decent egg.

Then again, there are seven of us kids total, so I would have to say my parents were, and still are, a greater influence than Scouting. Looking at my kids, and my sibling’s kids, where no scouting has been involved, I would say we’re fighting a winning battle.

And they are learned by example. And here is where the behavior of the parents, neighbors, schoolteachers, etc. becomes critical. Parents are the most important. If there is one solid thing I have learned from being a father it's that what I do matters a thousand times more than what I say. I have to become what I want them to learn. When my kids are with me I have made a point of helping ladies with flat tires, picking up litter I pass, and other relatively inconsequential things like that. No comment, no lecture. I just do it.

Definitely.

If your kids had been with you during these episodes you mentioned, they would have picked up something they would never have learned from a dozen philosophy books.

Nope.

The boat outing was just a trip the two of us planned, me and one of my younger brothers. It was a new boat and he wanted to try it out in a big pond. I guess we got it up to about 40 mph (hard to tell on water).

The bus and the pushed car(s) (there have been more than a few) were always to and from work. Different years and different jobs, but no kids tagging along.

On the bright side, there are a few thousand other things I have done in their presence that have left their mark.

Teachers are important too, since kids spend much of their lives with them (at least until home schooling really takes off). Why do you think I get so bent out of shape when I read about teachers and professors who are psycho hose beasts?

Yes. There are people in this world who should never be entrusted with the care and teaching of children.

And you are absolutely correct that good guys come from all areas of the political spectrum, although I personally think individual charity thrives best in an environment where people have not been trained to expect the government to fix all the problems, and where there is no forced redistribution of wealth to create unconscious resentment of those less fortunate.

And even this can change, often with something as simple as a gesture. I had rear-ended a van some years ago. Oh, he was royally pissed. We settled it without lawyers and without insurance getting in the way. Last thing I needed was a raise in my rates. He understood completely. Anyway, it was an old, somewhat dilapidated van, and I phoned the guy after a few days. He had gone out to find a replacement rear door and a garage to install it. The damage came to $250.00. I sent him a money order for 275.00 and told him the difference was to be used as a dinner treat for him and his wife.

I had never gotten a thank you note from an accident before...
;^)

But this is off-topic for this board, damn it. We need a flame!

So, we can stop patting each other on the back now,
Dan