WHAT IS CHARACTER?
Character is sumtotal of a person’s remarkable qualities such as : individuality,
honesty, dedication, sincerity,
integrity, uprightness, respectability, morality, faithfulness, and purity of
body, mind and soul.
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus who
was born around 535 BCE and died around 475 BC at the age of about 60 years said:
Character is destiny. It means that a person’s future is determined by his
character rather than external forces or predetermined fate.
A man who possesses the qualities
mentioned above enjoys enviable respect in the society. He wins lots of
friends, admirers, followers, supporters, and is welcomed everywhere for
employment, consultation ,leadership, etc. He is loved and adored and even
worshipped. People see in him glimpses of divinity. He is never disdained or let down.
It will not be wrong to say everyman
is the architect of his own character and consequently of his own fortune.
The German philosopher Johann Wolfgang
von Goethe(1749-1832) said: Talents are best nurtured in solitude; character is
best formed in the stormy billows of the world.
A man of character is always on
trial. He has to be very cautious in his day-to-day dealings. Jealous rivals
are always eager to detect some flaw and spoil his reputation. Spotlessness
throughout life is a precondition for the survival of his lasting reputation.
According
to a famous dictum : Character is a diamond that scratches every other stone.
Finally, the most relevant words of the German philosopher Arthur
Schopenhauer(1788-1860):
Men best show their character in
trifles , where they are not on their guard. It is in insignificant matters,
and in the simplest habits, that we often see the boundless egotism which pays
no regard to the feelings of others, and denies nothing to itself.
******
G.R.Kanwal
6th August 2025
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