Writing practice: more imagery
[ok but more thoughts right now]
Personal integrity is not just intellectual integrity, and integrity of conduct. It’s also conducting yourself in a way that discourages others from treating you without integrity. Keeping yourself fit, capable of standing up for yourself not just socially/professionally but also physically (or at least being willing to, to the extent you are able). It also means expanding your perspective and your knowledge so that you have the greatest chance of actually operating with integrity, and not just thinking you do based on limited perspective or knowledge. And not just doing things for show, but doing them for a specific and valid reason, and being willing to account for your actions. And when you screw up, reflecting on it and understanding why/how you screwed up and not blaming others or projecting your self-frustration onto others to deflect it away from yourself. And even if you are a victim of others’ unjust behavior, not using your victimhood as justification for reprisals and retribution (objectively-applied justice is proper, but that’s not applied by you but by a socially-sanctioned legal system).
It’s setting an example through your conduct. Of course that requires knowledge of what kind of example, and that’s up to the individual, but the more knowledge and one has and the wider perspective, one is in a better position to decide for himself what kind of example he wants to set and for whom.
And it’s not just setting an example – that can be too self-focused and self-congratulating which is awful. It’s also about doing things to help raise others up in a way that helps both of you. Not just setting an example but showing them, in small ways, the benefits of the example you set for them. It’s not about setting an example because you think you’re so wonderful – you act in a way that demonstrates self-esteem and integrity and respect for others, but you also act in a way that shows them how they could improve their situation. This is a fine line, since it sounds like you’d think you’re so great, but it’s not that. It’s setting a good example *for their sake*. One conducts oneself for one’s own sake, but one sets an example for others’ benefit. And that might be the core – if you’re setting an example for your own benefit, that’s self-congratulatory which is a waste of time and counterproductive. If you set an example for the sole intent to help raise others up, that demonstrates true integrity in your interactions with others. It’s not acting against your own interests (which are based on integrity) for their benefit, but simply setting an example for their benefit. Acting with self-respect for your benefit, but treating others with respect for their benefit. It’s not doing something good so you can feel better about yourself, it’s acting in a way that raises others’ esteem and motivates them to do good things for themselves and set a good example in turn.
I don’t know if it’s the opposite, but a counter way to act is to act in your own selfish self-interest (as opposed to self-interest based on integrity) but framing it as though you’re acting in the interests of others and not in your own. People see through this pretty quickly, it demonstrates lack of integrity on your part, and they lose respect for you. Everyone loses in some way.