#30 MIchael Patrick Mulroy - A Mission to Promote Virtue Ethics
What are the core values that drive collaboration and success?
How do we confront ideologies that rationalize violence and tribalism?
What is the ultimate formula for promoting accountability?
These and other foundational questions are addressed in this fascinating discussion when former U.S. marine, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, and retired CIA Paramilitary Operations Officer Michael Patrick Mulroy joins the Rabbi and the Shrink.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-patrick-mulroy-31198b52/
https://www.loboinstitute.org/
Show notes
2:00 Inspired to serve by 9/11
Identifying the root causes of conflict
4:30 Lack of economic opportunity
The crisis of child soldiers
7:30 Toxic ideology makes it possible to rationalize evil and not easily defeated
Children are compliant and easily indoctrinated
Increasing tribalism pits us against each other
10:30 The ethics of stoicism
Wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice
What’s good for your soul is worth more than anything else
Stoicism as a guide to virtue ethics
13:00 Be accountable to yourself
A legal system is only as effective as the people’s commitment to uphold the law
We lack clarity of what our core values are
19:00 The increasing legitimacy of vigilantism
Teach ethics and virtue through models of self-sacrifice
The true benefits of diversity
23:00 Understanding human nature prepares us for an ethical life
Managing the conflict between opposing elements of our nature
How do we conquer our inclination to do evil?
When we struggle against evil, we become stronger in our commitment to be good
Life is made up of tiny moments that add up
30:00 Where do we start?
Stoicism means to take life as it comes
Study the story of Zeno
Read Meditations by Marcus Arelius
The Jewish leader Rabbi Judah and Marcus Arelius
37:00 Establish stoicism as a guiding philosophy in the military
Support grassroots movements to confront child soldiers
Demand accountability from elected officials
41:30 The word of the day: Panglossian
Superficial, Pollyanna view of the world
However, if we accept that reality is what it is, then we can focus on changing ourselves, which is the most effective way to change the world
45:00 We can be one step away from amazing
