With elections coming up this year, I felt it was appropriate to ask a philosophical question: what yardstick should we use to decide whom to support?
Of course, many of us vote by party affiliation. However, for the purposes of this exercise, let’s take a step back and imagine an election with no political party designation and none of the present political landscape. Then what?
As I pondered this issue, the Crosby, Stills, and Nash song "Teach Your Children" came on my device. I immediately perceived a correlation between the values we teach our children and the attributes we should demand from our elected officials.
Why the connection? Because values are the moral compass that guides individuals, shapes society and forms the foundation of character. The qualities we instill in children — honesty, compassion, empathy, admitting mistakes, resilience and responsibility — are crucial for developing moral individuals capable of contributing positively to society. Simultaneously, these values are vital in leadership, especially in elected officials tasked with shaping the future of communities and nations. As citizens, it is our responsibility not only to nurture these virtues within our youth but also to demand them from our leaders. I hope to explore in this essay the importance and role of core values in children’s development, and how societal and personal actions can foster, uphold, and enforce these qualities among those in positions of power.
Honesty: Honesty fosters trust, integrity and clarity in relationships and society at large. Teaching your children to be honest involves emphasizing the importance of truthfulness, transparency and the courage to speak truth in the face of adversity. An honest child grows up to be a trustworthy adult, essential for a functioning society where laws, agreements and social bonds depend on mutual honesty. We need to demand nothing less from our elected officials, no matter how high up the political chain they are. It is unacceptable to excuse anyone from this requirement since millions of us rely on our candidates and elected officials to be truth-tellers.
Compassion: We want our children to become caring adults. Compassion involves recognizing others' suffering, leading to acts of kindness and support. It nurtures social cohesion and reduces conflicts, promoting a culture of caring. Teaching compassion often involves modeling empathetic behavior, encouraging children to see the world through others’ perspectives and acting accordingly. It is the absolute core of what it means to be a decent human being. Aristotle regarded it as a crucial and indispensable component of a moral individual. Compassion as practiced by our elected officials has always been a nonpartisan issue, and if that has changed, we clearly have our work cut out for us.
Empathy: Empathy is the capacity to understand and share the feelings of others. It is the essential foundation upon which compassion is built. Children who develop empathy are more likely to develop patience, reduce bias and act justly, fostering harmonious relationships and a more equitable society. A candidate or elected official without empathy is, in my opinion, a soulless excuse of a leader who does not merit our support.
Admitting mistakes: I remember being asked in job interviews, what is your biggest fault? The answer most applicants gave was something like, “I work too hard.” As silly as that exercise became, there is real value in admitting weaknesses or mistakes. We want our children to admit when they are wrong because this capacity cultivates character and demonstrates humility, honesty and a growth mindset. Children taught to accept their errors learn resilience and improve through reflection, traits that are essential for personal development and for fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. Conversely, a leader who refuses to ever admit to making a mistake or to show a hint of humility is dangerously egotistical, intellectually static and not deserving of our support.
Resilience: Resilience is the capacity to recover from setbacks, adapt to change and persist in the face of adversity. Teaching resilience involves encouraging perseverance, optimism, and problem-solving skills. Resilient children are better equipped to handle life’s challenges and contribute positively despite difficulties. Winston Churchill comes to mind as an example of resilience in a leader. In our candidates and elected officials, we are looking not only for resilience but also for an open-mindedness to consider alternative strategies for achieving laudable goals. Resilience must never devolve into stubbornness. It is up to us to recognize the difference.
Taking responsibility: Responsibility involves accountability for one’s actions and decisions. Teaching children to take responsibility means emphasizing personal discipline, reliability and ethical conduct. Responsible individuals tend to act conscientiously, uphold integrity and contribute to societal well-being. This character trait is closely aligned with the attributes of admitting mistakes and honesty, as referred to above. In politics, too often the go-to position is either to deny that a mistake was made (blame the person reporting the error) or to fault someone else for the tainted action. We are looking for leaders who are not afraid of admitting their own fallibility.
The more I thought about the correlation between the values we, as parents, promoted, the more convinced I became that these principles should serve as a useful yardstick in our electoral choices. The character traits we wish to instill in our children — honesty, compassion, empathy, admitting mistakes, resilience and taking responsibility — are the foundation of a just and thriving society.
Cultivating these virtues in individuals shapes a more compassionate and responsible community. Equally important, demanding the same qualities in our candidates and elected officials ensures that leadership reflects the moral standards that we uphold. Through education, active civic engagement and cultural reinforcement, we can nurture a society where integrity is prized both within individuals and in those entrusted with guiding us. Ultimately, the strength of our society depends on our collective commitment to these timeless virtues. We have a moral responsibility not only to teach our children values to live by, but also to ensure that the world they will traverse is populated by moral leaders. Now, that old Crosby, Stills, and Nash song awakens in me a whole new meaning.
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