#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