Cultivating Moral Character: A Journey of Ethical Growth and Reflection

Reflection on Morality and Ethical Growth I believe I should always strive to be moral because my actions define who I am and contribute to the sense of safety and fairness within my community. Being moral means living with INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, and HONESTY, even when no one is watching. It also involves taking responsibility for my choices, apologizing when I am wrong, and repairing the harm I cause in the world. As I reflect on the material from this unit, I recognize that studying ethics has both challenged and enriched my perspective about what it truly means to live morally. One concept that stood out to me is MORAL RELATIVISM, which argues that moral judgments depend on cultural, societal, or personal perspectives rather than universal truths (Thiroux & Krasemann, 2014). This idea challenged me because I often believed that right and wrong were clear-cut. However, reading about moral relativism helped me understand that cultural norms, religion, and upbringing play major roles in how people interpret morality. For example, something that might be considered disrespectful in one culture could be a sign of respect in another. This realization taught me to be more open-minded and less judgmental when understanding other people’s actions and values. Another important concept that enriched my thinking is UTILITARIANISM, which promotes doing what bri