Character Is Destiny: The Value of Personal Ethics in Everyday Life [Hardcover]

Russell Gough (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 13, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0761511636 | ISBN-13: 978-0761511632 | Edition: First Edition

An inescapable truth lies at the heart of this simple yet profound book: The quality of our lives is not determined by the happenstance of genetics or by the influence of environment; it is not measured in material possessions or in the trappings of youth; it is not dependent on personality or social acclaim. On the contrary, the intrinsic value of the lives we lead reflects the strength of a single trait: our personal character. Character Is Destiny, a sort of self-help guide for the soul, shows how we can lead richer lives simply by being better people.
"This profound book reminds us how utterly central character is to all else in life . . . I plan to stay in touch with this book for many years." — Shelby Steele
Russell W. Gough, a nationally prominent writer and speaker, describes the steps to personal growth from examining our lives to taking responsibility for our actions, from discarding selfishness to embracing the greater good, from becoming a better role model for our loved ones to finding the courage to do the right thing naturally and consistently. By cultivating the habits of virtue, we will strengthen not only ourselves but, more important, our families and our world. Character Is Destiny shows how to overcome the most formidable obstacle to an ethical life: ourselves.
Each and every day we are faced with scores of choices that, in subtle yet discernible ways, can either enrich or impoverish our personal character. The choices we make, and the manner in which we make them, illuminate the paths our lives will take. Character Is Destiny can be our compass.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

As Russell Gough implies, the fact that people are lapping up books on personal ethics, virtue, and character is best understood as a long-overdue reaction to the two dominant schools of pop psychology: the determinist "you are your upbringing" school and the free-individualist "express yourself, don't repress yourself" school. He insists, contrary to both, that we can indeed choose the content of our own character (even though bad habits of character are hard to break), and that doing this character-building is both a lifelong project and a central activity in all fulfilling and worthwhile lives.

Since he's a professor of philosophy, Gough's own addition to the growing library of books on "personal virtue" is grounded in a solid knowledge of thinkers like Aristotle and Emerson. He writes clearly, although in an introductory fashion, spending much of his time on basic issues such as the distinction between personality and character or the failure of intellectual knowledge of moral issues to induce people to act well. This is a well-written book that should be put in the hands of every serious-minded teenager, but adults--and those already familiar with philosophy--may want to sit at the feet of a more demanding tutor. --Richard Farr

Review

"This profound book reminds us how utterly central character is to all else in life . . . I plan to stay in touch with this book for many years."
— Shelby Steele
"This book speaks directly to the moral crisis of our time. It is a book educators, parents, and just good people will not want to miss."
— Amatai Etzioni, author of The Spirit of Community
"Reading Character is Destiny is like listening to a trusted friend giving you heartfelt, character-building advice. Its wise, passionate, and down-to-earth message will not only show you how and why but will make you want to improve the ethical quality of your everyday life"
— Jack Canfield, coauthor of Chicken Soup for the Soul series
"For anyone concerned with the moral decline of the nation and looking for the prescription for cure, this is a good place to start."
— Yitta Halberstam, coauthor of Small Miracles
"Russ Gough has accomplished something very rare: A college philosopher has written a book in real English for real people on the most important subject of all—character. I congratulate him."
— Dennis Prager, radio talk-show host and author of Think a Second Time

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 196 pages
• Publisher: Crown Forum; First Edition edition (August 13, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761511636
• ISBN-13: 978-0761511632
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 0.8 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #282,526 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A inward checkup on our Core Values!, March 2, 2001

By 

KeepItSimple "Jay" (Texas USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Character Is Destiny: The Value of Personal Ethics in Everyday Life (Hardcover)

I bought and read this book months ago-it made an immediate impact and revealed some self-conflict. I just pulled it off my office shelf for a re-read. This book strikes at the heart of whether or not there is "right" and "wrong" in human relations, regardless of ones religious views. Almost 28 years of military service in leadership positions has utterly convinced me that there are undeniable "laws" at work in human relations-principles or laws, such as "being polite", "being neat", "being honest", "being helpful"... at work with undeniable consequences, whether or not we believe they are. We don't really break these "natural laws," we break ourselves against them and suffer consequences, sooner or later, directly or indirectly. Gough presents this very personal ethics issue in a simple, direct way that can be very helpful in developing your character and leadership! It should be included in every LEADER's kitbag!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine work on the nature of character formation, December 11, 1999

By 

Jeff (Scotia, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Character Is Destiny: The Value of Personal Ethics in Everyday Life (Hardcover)

"Character Is Destiny" offers a well-organized and well-written primer on the nature and formation of good character. Based on the ethical traditons of Aristotle and Aquinas, Gough organizes his chapters around fourteen pithy axioms about character; he vividly and simply explains and illustrates one per chapter. "Character is what you are in the dark," The final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands," and "Example is not the main thing in life--it is the only thing" are a few of the axioms Gough uses as chapter titles. No philosophical jargon here! Gough writes for the average person. But make no mistake, his content is searching and practical. For me, the chapter entitled, "Character is higher than intellect," in which Gough takes to task the mistaken notion (inherited from Socrates) that "knowledge is virtue" is worth the price of the whole book. If you're looking for a book that offers solid advice on building good character without being preachy, Gough's book is the ticket.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Gift For Parents and Partners!, April 10, 2000

By 

Dr. Bob Fournier (Southeastern Massachussetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Character Is Destiny: The Value of Personal Ethics in Everyday Life (Hardcover)

Enjoyed this book immensely. I have purchased three additional copies for my adult children, in the hope that they too may benefit. Although this book's content would likely be included in any "good ethics course" in college, I couldn't help but wonder if students today are "taking ethics". An excellent overview of personal ethics and virtue, most appropriate to today's fast-paced and increasingly self-centered and self-absorbed world. A beautiful presentation of Dr. Gough's apparent love of life, virtue and the struggle we must all experience in life in order to be virtuous, and, thereby, become our unique or real self. Dr. Gough's admission of his own imperfections, his own struggle to become virtuous, and his love of his family and God enable the reader to achieve an intimate bond with a philosopher and his philosophy: no easy task with such a "deep" subject. Try it and you'll like it!