Monday, June 21, 2010

"Good intentions are not enough"

Addressing his granddaughter and her fellow graduates in the class of 2010, Justice Antonin Scalia:
[A] platitude I want discuss comes in many flavors. It can be variously delivered as, "Follow your star," or "Never compromise your principles." Or, quoting Polonius in Hamlet — who people forget was supposed to be an idiot — "To thine ownself be true." Now this can be very good or very bad advice. ....

And indeed, to thine ownself be true, depending upon who you think you are. It’s a belief that seems particularly to beset modern society, that believing deeply in something, and following that belief, is the most important thing a person could do. Get out there and picket, or boycott, or electioneer, or whatever. I am here to tell you that it is much less important how committed you are, than what you are committed to. If I had to choose, I would always take the less dynamic, indeed even the lazy person who knows what’s right, than the zealot in the cause of error. He may move slower, but he’s headed in the right direction.

Movement is not necessarily progress. More important than your obligation to follow your conscience, or at least prior to it, is your obligation to form your conscience correctly. Nobody — remember this — neither Hitler, nor Lenin, nor any despot you could name, ever came forward with a proposal that read, "Now, let’s create a really oppressive and evil society." Hitler said, "Let’s take the means necessary to restore our national pride and civic order." And Lenin said, "Let’s take the means necessary to assure a fair distribution of the goods of the world."

In short, it is your responsibility, men and women of the class of 2010, not just to be zealous in the pursuit of your ideals, but to be sure that your ideals are the right ones. That is perhaps the hardest part of being a good human being: Good intentions are not enough. Being a good person begins with being a wise person. Then, when you follow your conscience, you will be headed in the right direction.
Thanks to Betsy Newmark for the reference.

Advice for a new grad - NYPOST.com

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