The Road to Character

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The fact is that we live in a hypercompetitive meritocracy: colleges and businesses alike reward goal-oriented superstars and those who self-promote are most likely to thrive. This rigorous, culture-wide emphasis on external acheivements can lead to great success but it also fosters shrewdness and a narrow self-focus: a Big Me culture. As a result, we may be more capable -- but are we better leaders and thinkers? Beginning with an examination of how our hunger for wealth and status is eroding our ability to create meaningful inner lives, Brooks looks at men and women throughout history whose genuine sense of humility was fundamental to their success. From St. Augustine, Dorothy Day, Eisenhower, and Samuel Johnson, Brooks explores how their inner struggles transformed each of these men and women into high points of moral clarity and intelligence. These men and women all understood one simple but counterintuitive truth: in order to fulfill yourself, you must learn how to forget yourself.