Explore Virtues
Explore Virtues
A vocabulary for the person you want to become.
Virtues listed alphabetically with a brief definition and links to the published catalogs that include them. All are available to read without signing in.
| Virtue and meaning | Published catalogs |
|---|---|
| Altruism (Hindu): The volunteer has practiced a splendid welcome speech. At the shared kitchen, the cook points to a stack of bowls. Our imagined helper discovers that today’s most eloquent contribution may be made with a dishcloth. | Hindu Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Amiability (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, two neighbors meet at the shared mailbox. One smiles and turns to make room for the other, whose tiny letter seems to require a very grand envelope. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Appreciation of beauty and appreciation of excellence (Universal): An imagined visitor recognizes a familiar street corner in a modest drawing. At first it seems too ordinary to merit a second look. Then the slightly crooked chimney and its careful shadow reveal a choice the visitor had walked past for years. Familiarity has become an invitation rather than a reason to hurry. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Appreciativeness (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, a friend repairs a little tune on a homemade flute. The listener names the clear final note rather than announcing that every squeak was magnificent; the last squeak is blamed on the listener’s chair. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Attentiveness: A considerate readiness to notice what merits attention. | Diplomat’s Virtues Healer’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Cat’s Virtues Creative Life Virtues Dog’s Virtues Frontier Virtues Networked World Virtues Nerd Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Guardian’s Virtues AI Age Virtues Partner’s Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Survival Virtues Detective Virtues |
| Benevolence: A settled wish for the good of others. | Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Creative Life Virtues Dog’s Virtues Networked World Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Celebrity Virtues |
| Bravery (Universal): At an imagined hobby demonstration, the presenter discovers that a confidently displayed model lacks one small piece. The temptation is to keep gesturing at the impressive whole. Saying “I missed this part” makes the demonstration useful again, even if the presenter’s ears have gone a little red. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Candor: Readiness to state relevant truth plainly when concealment would be easier. | Friend’s Virtues Open World Virtues Networked World Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Stewardship Virtues Leader’s Virtues Common Good Virtues AI Age Virtues Enterprise Virtues Partner’s Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Whistleblower Virtues Business Virtues |
| Chastity (Franklin): Franklin’s Chastity precept connects sexual activity with health, offspring, tranquility and reputation. Those are his historical terms, not a universal contemporary account of sexual ethics. A present-day adaptation can ask about consent, privacy and honest agreements while explicitly changing the original frame. Abstinence, sexual activity and reproductive status do not determine a person’s moral worth. | Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Cheerfulness (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, a rain shower postpones the walk. While both neighbors choose to wait under a shelter, one taps a light rhythm on an upside-down empty bucket; the other joins with two fingers. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Citizenship and teamwork (Universal): An imagined neighborhood gathering needs a sturdy table set out. One volunteer holds the tabletop steady; another has brought the missing leg. They agree how to finish the setup, and a new volunteer asks which small job still needs doing. Participation becomes useful through coordination rather than everyone doing the same thing. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Civility (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, two neighbors disagree about the shared noticeboard. One keeps the disputed card on the table and pulls up a seat for the dissenter; the discussion stays about the proposal. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Cleanliness (Franklin): Franklin’s Cleanliness includes body, clothes and habitation. A contemporary reading can focus on care for shared conditions and the practical demands of a particular task. It should distinguish ordinary dirt from a moral stain: immaculate appearance neither establishes good character nor gives you authority to shame another person’s circumstances. | Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Cleanliness (Hindu): The outside of the cup gleams. Inside, yesterday’s cocoa has left a stubborn ring. Our imagined cleaner tilts the cup toward the light and discovers that the most useful part of the job has escaped the admiring view. | Hindu Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Compassion: A caring responsiveness to suffering, guided by respect for the person affected. | Healer’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Elder’s Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Networked World Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Nerd Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Sports Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Stewardship Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Leader’s Virtues Common Good Virtues AI Age Virtues Partner’s Virtues Survival Virtues Superhero Virtues Business Virtues |
| Composure: Readiness to collect oneself under pressure so that one’s response remains deliberate and considerate. | Diplomat’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Cat’s Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Celebrity Virtues Survival Virtues Whistleblower Virtues |
| Conmediacy (coined term): A cultivated disposition to sustain honest connection between opposing parties without distorting their positions. | Diplomat’s Virtues |
| Contentment: Readiness to recognize and rest in genuine sufficiency rather than continually require more. | Minimalist’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues |
| Contrition: Readiness to acknowledge one's wrongdoing with remorse rather than self-exoneration. | Healer’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Leader’s Virtues Common Good Virtues Enterprise Virtues Celebrity Virtues Detective Virtues Business Virtues |
| Courage: A willingness to face proportionate risk for a worthy purpose, guided by judgment. | Self-Reliance Virtues Creative Life Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Open World Virtues Frontier Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Sports Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Stewardship Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Leader’s Virtues Common Good Virtues Lady’s Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Superhero Virtues Whistleblower Virtues Knightly Virtues — contemporary practice Noble Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Courtesy: A habitual disposition to show ordinary consideration without regard to advantage or rank. | Good Neighbor’s Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Networked World Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Sports Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Aesthetic Virtues Business Virtues |
| Creativity (Universal): In an imagined packing session, a teapot’s spout touches the corner of its box. Two padding folds leave the same awkward gap. The packer turns an offcut diagonally across the corner and checks the new cradle against the spout. A change in arrangement gives the familiar material a useful new job. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Curiosity: A settled desire to understand rather than remain content with unexamined assumptions. | Teacher’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Elder’s Virtues Cat’s Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Creative Life Virtues Frontier Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Nerd Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Sage’s Virtues Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Decency (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, a visitor’s bag spills across a public bench. A bystander turns a personal letter face down and helps gather the ordinary contents instead of treating the mishap as a spectacle. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Dignity (Roman): At a discussion, a participant’s plain chair sits beside a chair balanced on a stack of cushions. The tallest seat has still missed a useful fact. The mascot puts the extra cushions aside so the chairs meet the table. Equal opportunity to speak needs no upholstered rank test. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Diligence: Readiness to sustain due care in worthwhile effort. | Healer’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Minimalist’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Creative Life Virtues Open World Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Nerd Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Sports Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Stewardship Virtues Common Good Virtues Enterprise Virtues Business Virtues |
| Discernment: A disposition to distinguish what is sound from what merely seems convincing. | Diplomat’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Minimalist’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Elder’s Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Creative Life Virtues Dog’s Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Open World Virtues Frontier Virtues Networked World Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Guardian’s Virtues AI Age Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Partner’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Survival Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Sage’s Virtues Whistleblower Virtues Detective Virtues Aesthetic Virtues |
| Discipline (Noble): Virtues / Noble Virtues | Noble Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Discipline (Roman): At rehearsal, a player gives the practice timer a seat on the music stand. The timer is ready for practice; it is also covering the tune. Moving it aside and clipping the page in place makes the routine usable. Preparation has organized the reminder before remembering the music. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Discretion: Careful judgment about what is appropriate to disclose. | Diplomat’s Virtues Healer’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Cat’s Virtues Open World Virtues Networked World Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Celebrity Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Sage’s Virtues Whistleblower Virtues Detective Virtues Business Virtues |
| Dutifulness (Roman): At a family gathering, a helper holds a small tray of cups and a seating diagram. The diagram reserves a place for everyone except the person carrying the cups. It adds a chair for itself before continuing the task. A thoughtful commitment can include the needs of the person doing it. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Equanimity: Inner steadiness amid changing circumstances. | Diplomat’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Elder’s Virtues Cat’s Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Leader’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Celebrity Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Sage’s Virtues Detective Virtues |
| Even-temperedness (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, a small drawer catches for the third time. The person using it pauses, removes the spoon lodged sideways, and opens it again without making the jam an accusation against the household. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Exactitude: Dispositional fidelity to the particulars and limits of what one observes or represents. | Healer’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Nerd Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Stewardship Virtues AI Age Virtues Enterprise Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues |
| Fairness: An impartial disposition to give relevant interests and evidence their due. | Diplomat’s Virtues Healer’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Minimalist’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Open World Virtues Networked World Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Sports Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Stewardship Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Leader’s Virtues Common Good Virtues AI Age Virtues Enterprise Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Partner’s Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Survival Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Superhero Virtues Whistleblower Virtues Detective Virtues Business Virtues Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Faith (Knightly): Virtues / Knightly Virtues | Knightly Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Fidelity (Noble): Virtues / Noble Virtues | Noble Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Forbearance: Willingness to restrain a harsh retaliatory response under provocation. | Good Neighbor’s Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Stewardship Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues |
| Forgiveness: Readiness to relinquish vindictive resentment after a wrong. | Friend’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Elder’s Virtues Partner’s Virtues Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Fortitude: Steadfastness in bearing adversity for an ethically defensible purpose. | Healer’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Frontier Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Survival Virtues Superhero Virtues Whistleblower Virtues |
| Frugality: Habitual care to avoid needless waste of usable resources. | Minimalist’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Survival Virtues Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Generosity: Willingness to give without disproportionate insistence on personal return. | Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Minimalist’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Elder’s Virtues Creative Life Virtues Dog’s Virtues Open World Virtues Frontier Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Nerd Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Common Good Virtues Enterprise Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Partner’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Celebrity Virtues Survival Virtues Sage’s Virtues Superhero Virtues Knightly Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Gentleness: Readiness to avoid needless harshness in one's response. | Healer’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues Cat’s Virtues Dog’s Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Partner’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Aesthetic Virtues Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Gratitude: Readiness to appreciate good received rather than take it for granted. | Parent’s Virtues Minimalist’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Elder’s Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Open World Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Sports Virtues Leader’s Virtues Partner’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Celebrity Virtues Aesthetic Virtues Business Virtues Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Gravity (Roman): At a gathering, a planner has put on a solemn hat to discuss an important date. The hat brim covers the calendar. It takes the hat off and looks at the actual arrangement. The issue deserves attention; ceremonial seriousness has blocked the view. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Honesty: Dispositional refusal to mislead through what one says or represents. | Healer’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Cat’s Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Enterprise Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Survival Virtues Hindu Virtues — contemporary practice Business Virtues |
| Honor (Noble): Virtues / Noble Virtues | Noble Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Hope (Knightly): Virtues / Knightly Virtues | Knightly Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Hope (Universal): An imagined gardener finds a seedling leaning toward the window. There is no promised harvest to announce, but one ordinary tie can support its present growth. The gardener adjusts the support and leaves room for the next leaf. Possibility has become a reason to attend without becoming a forecast. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Hospitableness (Meliorating): In this imagined visit, a guest chooses a place at the kitchen table. The host moves a decorative vase off the useful corner and sets a water jug within reach; the vase now occupies the host’s own elaborate hat stand. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Hospitality: Readiness to make room for an unfamiliar person without demanding that they first prove their worth. | Friend’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues Dog’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Noble Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Humanity (Roman): A reader asks a singer about a line they do not understand. The singer repeats it more slowly and explains where its emphasis falls. The reader listens again before turning back to the printed words. What looked like a familiar sentence has begun to sound like somebody else's way of seeing. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Humility: Openness to recognizing the limits of one’s knowledge and importance. | Diplomat’s Virtues Healer’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Minimalist’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Elder’s Virtues Cat’s Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Creative Life Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Open World Virtues Frontier Virtues Networked World Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Nerd Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Sports Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Stewardship Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Leader’s Virtues Common Good Virtues AI Age Virtues Enterprise Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Partner’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Celebrity Virtues Survival Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Sage’s Virtues Superhero Virtues Whistleblower Virtues Detective Virtues Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice Knightly Virtues — contemporary practice Aesthetic Virtues Business Virtues |
| Humility and modesty (Universal): At an imagined pottery display, the maker is certain that a new cup is flawless. A friend notices that the handle leans. Turning the cup makes the lean unmistakable. Accepting that second view does not erase the work; it gives the maker something useful to learn. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Humor (Roman): The drawing will not appear on the meeting-room screen. A participant holds up the paper copy: ‘This backup has excellent battery life.’ Someone laughs and pulls a chair closer to see. The delay becomes a shared inconvenience rather than somebody's public failure. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Humor and playfulness (Universal): At an imagined craft break, a maker discovers that a paper hat intended for a small model fits the end of their own nose. The maker tries it there for a moment. The unfinished model remains on the table; the joke does not need a colleague’s mistake to supply its target. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Humorousness (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, a game-night hat slips over the host’s eyes. The host bows to the coat stand as though it were a guest, then lifts the hat; a friend laughs with the host. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Industriousness (Noble): Virtues / Noble Virtues | Noble Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Industry (Franklin): Franklin’s Industry values useful occupation. His own daily schedule includes sleep, meals, music and conversation, which complicates the isolated demand to be always employed. Industry concerns an attentive contribution, not permanent visible motion. Rest and care can make useful work possible; they need not plead for admission as moral exceptions. | Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Industry (Roman): In a shared workshop, a volunteer has sorted the shelf’s screws into perfect little rows. One fastening is still loose. It takes a suitable screw from the row and finishes the bounded task. The collection becomes slightly less orderly and the shelf more usable. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Integrity: Consistency between considered ethical convictions and deliberate action. | Diplomat’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Creative Life Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Open World Virtues Networked World Virtues Sports Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Stewardship Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Leader’s Virtues Common Good Virtues AI Age Virtues Enterprise Virtues Partner’s Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Celebrity Virtues Survival Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Sage’s Virtues Superhero Virtues Whistleblower Virtues Business Virtues Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Intellectual Honesty: Readiness to let evidence correct a preferred belief. | Teacher’s Virtues Networked World Virtues Nerd Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Stewardship Virtues AI Age Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Sage’s Virtues Whistleblower Virtues Detective Virtues |
| Justice: Steady concern that people receive what is ethically due to them. | Teacher’s Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Stewardship Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Leader’s Virtues Common Good Virtues Superhero Virtues Detective Virtues Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice Knightly Virtues — contemporary practice Roman Virtues — contemporary practice Business Virtues |
| Kindness (Universal): At an imagined shared laundry, a neighbor steers a modest trolley through a narrow doorway. The helper has already stepped through, then notices that the swinging door will catch the trolley. Asking and holding it open lets the neighbor finish the task without surrendering its direction. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Leadership (Universal): An imagined organizer and a volunteer both begin painting the same end of a bench while its other end remains bare. The organizer pauses, asks how they should divide the work and agrees on a shared finish. The bench needs coordination more than two competing first strokes. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Love (Universal): Two imagined friends meet after time apart. One begins setting out a familiar racing game; the other suggests a quiet round of dominoes while they talk. The old game can remain fondly remembered. Choosing the shared afternoon in front of them lets the friendship make room for change. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Love of learning (Universal): An imagined learner can pronounce every elegant name for a clock part. The dismantled practice clock still lies silent. Setting the recital aside, the learner studies how two harmless model gears meet. This afternoon, knowing what a part does will be more satisfying than knowing what to call it. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Loyalty: Steadfast concern for a particular person’s good despite inconvenience or social pressure. | Friend’s Virtues |
| Magnanimity: Freedom from petty resentment when another's standing challenges one's pride. | Sports Virtues Stewardship Virtues Common Good Virtues Enterprise Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Aesthetic Virtues |
| Manliness (Roman): In a craft lesson, a learner examines a crooked first stitch beside a neat sample. A decorative medal lies untouched while it threads the needle for another careful attempt. Worth is not awarded by the medal, and learning does not require pretending the first stitch was excellent. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Mercy: Readiness to temper a justified severe response with leniency. | Guardian’s Virtues Survival Virtues Sage’s Virtues Superhero Virtues Knightly Virtues — contemporary practice Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Moderation (Franklin): Franklin’s Moderation addresses extremes and the resentment of injuries. Read today, it can ask whether a response is proportionate to what happened and capable of improving it. It does not require locating a midpoint between every pair of positions, nor does it ask an injured person to surrender a justified boundary. | Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Modesty (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, a shared cake earns praise. The decorator names the baker’s work and points out the one small sugar flower they made, whose proud height keeps leaning sideways. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Nobility (Knightly): Virtues / Knightly Virtues | Knightly Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Non-Violence (Hindu): The picnic cloth is ready for a vigorous shake. Then the mascot spots a small beetle on its edge and waits. In our imagined scene, the biggest participant changes the timetable for someone who never joined the planning committee. | Hindu Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Nonpossessiveness: Readiness to relinquish unnecessary claims of ownership or control. | Healer’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Minimalist’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Elder’s Virtues Cat’s Virtues Creative Life Virtues Dog’s Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Partner’s Virtues Celebrity Virtues |
| Nonvindictiveness (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, after a neighbor splashes muddy water onto a shared path, a resident reaches for a retaliatory splash, then sets the bucket down and points to the mop. Cleaning and responsibility remain on the table. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Open-Mindedness: Readiness to give unfamiliar reasons or perspectives a fair hearing. | Creative Life Virtues Open World Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Leader’s Virtues Common Good Virtues AI Age Virtues Detective Virtues Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Openness (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, at a neighborhood recipe exchange, a visitor brings a leaf-wrapped snack. The host asks what is inside and accepts an offered look, keeping an unfamiliar food from becoming an entrance exam. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Order (Franklin): Franklin’s Order assigns places to possessions and times to business. He also records how badly it fitted the interruptions of a working printer. Order helps when it makes a tool findable or a commitment visible. Its purpose is defeated when preserving the arrangement matters more than the work or the people it was meant to serve. | Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Patience: A willingness to allow worthwhile processes their necessary time. | Diplomat’s Virtues Healer’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Good Neighbor’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Elder’s Virtues Cat’s Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Creative Life Virtues Dog’s Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Open World Virtues Frontier Virtues Networked World Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Nerd Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Leader’s Virtues AI Age Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Partner’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Sage’s Virtues Detective Virtues |
| Peace (Hindu): The radio grows louder each time the neighbors disagree. In our imagined room, someone finally turns it down. A cheerful soundtrack was masking the conversation that could help the shared task proceed. | Hindu Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Perseverance: Readiness to continue worthwhile effort through setbacks. | Gardener’s Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Frontier Virtues Nerd Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Sports Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Common Good Virtues Enterprise Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Superhero Virtues Detective Virtues Noble Virtues — contemporary practice Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Persistence (Universal): An imagined basket-maker tightens a loose strip for the fourth time, and the basket wobbles again. The maker stops pulling, studies the crossing and loosens it before trying a different weave. The next attempt keeps the purpose and changes the method. A short pause gives the work somewhere to go. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Perspective: Readiness to widen moral consideration beyond one's immediate provocation or position. | Slow Life Virtues Sports Virtues Sage’s Virtues Superhero Virtues Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Playfulness: Readiness to make room for humane, shared lightness without making dignity its price. | Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Cat’s Virtues Dog’s Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Partner’s Virtues Aesthetic Virtues |
| Politeness (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, at a narrow gate, two people repeatedly wave each other through. One pauses the courteous dance and goes after the other’s invitation, then holds the gate. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Protection and reverence for the Earth (Hindu): The watering hose has developed an independent ambition: watering the gardener’s shoe. In our imagined scene, noticing the leak changes the job from pouring more water to making the existing effort reach the plants. | Hindu Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Prudence: A disposition to weigh consequences before choosing a worthy course of action. | Diplomat’s Virtues Healer’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Minimalist’s Virtues Gardener’s Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Elder’s Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Frontier Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Stewardship Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Leader’s Virtues Enterprise Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Survival Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Sage’s Virtues Superhero Virtues Whistleblower Virtues Roman Virtues — contemporary practice Business Virtues Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Reasonableness (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, a picnic organizer has chosen a sunny patch. A friend points to the shade; the butter is already softening. The organizer moves the picnic cloth rather than defending the first spot. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Resolution (Franklin): Franklin joins deciding what ought to be done with doing what has been decided. Resolution therefore begins before the heroic effort: is this a defensible commitment? Follow-through gives an intention practical weight. When new facts undermine the purpose, an honest revision can be more responsible than an unchanged vow. | Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Respectability (Roman): At a community stall, the keeper turns a notice toward the visitors’ side of the counter. It had arranged the clock symbol so beautifully that only the person behind the counter could see it. Making a promise legible requires considering where the other person stands. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Restraint and Moderation (Hindu): A final spoonful would make the jam sweeter—or so the eager cook thinks. Our imagined cook stops with the spoon above the pot and tastes what is already there. The recipe may need attention more than another addition. | Hindu Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Reverence: Readiness to regard inherent worth with respect beyond its usefulness to oneself. | Gardener’s Virtues Frontier Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Sage’s Virtues Hindu Virtues — contemporary practice Aesthetic Virtues |
| Self Reliance (Noble): Virtues / Noble Virtues | Noble Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Self-Command: The cultivated restraint of impulses that would cause needless harm. | Diplomat’s Virtues Healer’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Frontier Virtues Networked World Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Nerd Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Sports Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Leader’s Virtues Enterprise Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Partner’s Virtues Gentleman’s Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Superhero Virtues Detective Virtues Business Virtues |
| Self-regulation and self-control (Universal): An imagined model painter wants to correct an uneven patch immediately. The paint is still wet, and a first impatient touch has left a small fingerprint. The painter works on a separate dry piece for a while. Waiting now has a useful purpose rather than being a performance of discipline. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Self-Respect: Readiness to regard one's own dignity as worthy of protection. | Minimalist’s Virtues Friend’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Elder’s Virtues Cat’s Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Dog’s Virtues Fresh Start Virtues Coming of Age Virtues AI Age Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Partner’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Whistleblower Virtues Aesthetic Virtues |
| Silence (Franklin): Franklin gives Silence a surprisingly talkative purpose: he wants to learn through conversation. The problem is a tongue that gets ahead of the ears. Listening leaves another person room to make a point before you turn it into your own performance. A contemporary interpretation also leaves room for jokes, affection and necessary objections; usefulness is wider than the exchange of facts. | Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Simplicity: Settled preference for sufficient means over needless complication in worthwhile purposes. | Minimalist’s Virtues |
| Sincerity: Readiness to express one's actual convictions and intentions without pretense. | Good Neighbor’s Virtues Creative Life Virtues Dog’s Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Lady’s Virtues Celebrity Virtues Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice Aesthetic Virtues |
| Social intelligence (Universal): At an imagined club refreshment table, a guest keeps touching an empty cup. The host guesses nervousness and begins a reassuring speech. The guest points toward the water jug. A simple question discovers that the cup, rather than the guest’s character, needed attention. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Spiritual Authority (Roman): Two volunteers disagree about whether a repaired stool is ready for the reading room. They turn to the repairer, who asks to inspect the joint before answering. The meeting's chair waits too. A title can call the meeting to order; the decision belongs with a judgment people can examine. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Spirituality (Universal): An imagined walker pauses beside a telescope to consider the night sky. A displaced stone interrupts the path they share with other walkers. Before returning to the stars, the walker puts the stone back. Reflection on connection has found a nearby action through which to take shape. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Sternness (Roman): A speaker is interrupted for the second time. The facilitator raises a hand: ‘Let them finish, then it is your turn.’ The interrupter leans back; the speaker continues. The boundary is plain enough to use without turning the correction into the meeting's main event. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Strength (Knightly): Virtues / Knightly Virtues | Knightly Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Syntharity (coined term): Readiness to seek a whole account faithful to its relevant evidence, without selective omission or forced coherence. | Creative Life Virtues Open World Virtues Nerd Virtues Scientist’s Virtues Ethical Hacker Virtues Secret Agent Virtues Journalist’s Virtues Counter-Spy Virtues Whistleblower Virtues Detective Virtues |
| Tact: Sensitivity in expressing truth while preserving another person’s dignity. | Diplomat’s Virtues Parent’s Virtues Teacher’s Virtues Elder’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Celebrity Virtues Aesthetic Virtues |
| Tactfulness (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, a friend tries a scarf with one end trailing into a bowl of soup. Instead of announcing a fashion disaster to the table, the neighbor quietly lifts the loose end and points it out. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Temperance: Readiness to moderate appetites rather than let them dominate judgment. | Minimalist’s Virtues Slow Life Virtues Monk Mode Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Self-Reliance Virtues Open World Virtues Frontier Virtues Networked World Virtues Interplanetary Virtues Nerd Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Coming of Age Virtues Sports Virtues Stewardship Virtues Guardian’s Virtues Common Good Virtues AI Age Virtues Enterprise Virtues Gamer’s Virtues Lady’s Virtues Celebrity Virtues Survival Virtues Sage’s Virtues Superhero Virtues Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Tenacity (Roman): A learner stops at the same awkward change in a tune for the third time. Instead of starting the whole piece again, they ask a fellow player to watch their hand. A different fingering lets them work on the transition slowly. They have kept hold of the purpose by loosening their grip on the first method. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Tolerance: Readiness to permit harmless difference despite personal dislike. | Good Neighbor’s Virtues Travelers’ Virtues Alien Encounter Virtues Metropolitan Virtues Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Tranquillity (Franklin): Franklin’s Tranquillity concerns trifles and common or unavoidable accidents. A contemporary interpretation gives room for feeling while asking what attention and action the event now needs. Disturbance is not a moral failure; the useful question is whether repeatedly rehearsing the incident is helping you respond. | Franklin’s Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Truth (Noble): Virtues / Noble Virtues | Noble Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Truthfulness (Roman): In a meeting record, a participant has placed a green agreement token beside every name marker. One unresolved question token remains under the page. It moves that question into the visible record. The arrangement becomes less tidy and more accurate. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Universality (Hindu): At the reading group, one listener keeps saying, “That is exactly what I believe.” Then a companion points to a detail that means something different. Our imagined group gains a richer conversation by leaving the difference visible. | Hindu Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Unpretentiousness (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, a hobby gardener arrives with a humble bucket of beans. Rather than inventing a grand title for them, the gardener opens the bucket and joins the neighbor in sorting the odd little harvest. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Vitality (Universal): At an imagined amateur rehearsal, a musician arrives with a triangle beside a friend’s ordinary drum. One clear note will be needed at the right moment. The musician has a modest part and gives it real attention; volume will not decide who is more alive to the music. | Universal Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Warmth (Meliorating): In this imagined scene, a friend arrives chilled after an ordinary wet walk. The host offers a dry towel and turns a chair toward the room; the friend chooses the towel, still wearing a leaf on one ear. | Meliorating Virtues — contemporary practice |
| Wholesomeness (Roman): At the shared worktable, a user finishes and wipes their place before moving on. The next person asks where the cloth belongs; together they leave it in a reachable basket. The little handover matters more than a spotless announcement. Care becomes something the next person can actually continue. | Roman Virtues — contemporary practice |