Morning Philosophy
“The best index to a person's character is how he treats people who can't do him any good, and how he treats people who can't fight back.”
— Abigail Van Buren (attributed; widely cited maxim on character)
Command and legal authority both tempt the powerful to measure worth by utility — who can advance me, who can be ignored. Real character shows in the unwatched moments: how a cadet treats the mess hall staff, the struggling classmate, the civilian with no leverage over him. Today, notice where you have power without accountability, and choose the harder, quieter decency anyway.