Pupils in Richmond, Columbia must embrace four cardinal virtues

The marquees of many elementary and middle public schools in Richmond and Columbia counties carry a "character word." What a great idea! I trust that the lesson plans for that week emphasize the word as well. Better yet, parents should make that word part of the table talk at home. I would suggest that the four cardinal virtues first expressed by Socrates, advanced by Plato and perfected by Thomas Aquinas be the four principal character words of the year.

Wisdom. These three philosophers consider wisdom as the first and highest virtue because it is the compass by which all moral and all rational choices are made.

Temperance is second because self-control is essential to both personal wellness, and a critical component of both courage and justice.

Courage is third because making life-altering decisions, in the face of a host of competing voices and options, takes fortitude and good old-fashioned backbone.

Justice completes the list because it is wisdom, temperance and courage in action.

Unfortunately, the SAT doesn't test for these cardinal attributes. Certainly the entertainment industry makes little use of any of them, except for the Rambo kind of summary executions masquerading as "courageous" justice. Generally the entertainment industry's blockbusters demonstrate about as much wisdom as beating a donkey because he brays, or kicking a goose because she honks!

Vindictive retaliation is the antithesis of the four cardinal virtues. Getting even is devoid of wisdom, temperance, courage and justice. Confrontations on a school bus, in a locker room, in a corridor, road rage, tribal warfare and ideological conflicts and carnage are the result of a total lack of wisdom, temperance, courage and justice on the part of at least one of the parties involved.

Tom Zwemer, Augusta