The saying "character counts" is examined in a contemporary perspective, and against historical examples.

The Value of Character The fact that our people have no character is acknowledged universally, at home and abroad, and in business and government circles. In fact, as Berdyaev says, ?Character is the possession of power over oneself; it is the victory over slavery to oneself". So, what exactly is character? To me, character is choosing values over animal instincts. As G.A. Parwez says on his essay on character, ?Preservation of life is an …

…Therefore we cannot simply imply a sense of character into the populous; we must start within each one of ourselves to make a lasting change. For me, this means living with integrity, and trying to live the way I wish others would too. This is not to say I am perfect in any way. It is because I am imperfect that I must thoughtfully apply myself to working on the foundations of an unshakeable character.