Principles: Public and Private

An 1800 word essay examining the giant disconnect between how most people apply principles in their private lives as opposed to how they view "public" life.

If we are ever to regain our freedom, if we are ever to heal the antagonism endemic between members of different constituencies, if we are ever to obtain the personal growth and security, the cultural peace and expansion that characterizes a moral society, we must each of us learn to think in terms of principles and apply those ethical norms in the public as well as the private spheres of our lives.

Respect for individual autonomy, appreciation for personal property, and honor for the rights of each person must be learned and celebrated.