Which comes first?

Is courage more important to ethical development? Or is compassion? Or perhaps critical thinking? The answer: None of the above. They are all equally important.

As a Humanist parent, I hope my child will grow into an ethically courageous adult.

I know that compassion is important to my son’s growing sense of moral courage.

I also know that in order to be courageous he needs to be able to think for himself.

But which of these character traits should I focus on? Which comes first?

Critical thinking? Compassion? Courage? The truth is that I think each of these traits are equally important.

I don’t think one comes first and that the others will flow from it.

Rather, I think of these as interrelated skills, which grow together and complement each other. And that is how they should be taught. Lessons in courage can and should include lessons in thinking and compassion.

It is ok to mash them together because they are interrelated skills not separate.

Which comes first? They all do. So relax and stop thinking in such a linear fashion.