Table of Contents
What If the Small, Just Choices You Make Daily Are the Key to Changing the World?
Struggling to navigate a complex world? Explore Ryan Holiday’s timeless principles of justice, integrity, and kindness to find your purpose and make ethical decisions with confidence. If you are ready to move from good intentions to great impact, discover the practical wisdom that will empower you to live with unwavering integrity, starting today.
Genres
Motivation, Inspiration, Personal Development, Career Success
Right Thing, Right Now (2024) is a valuable guide for anyone looking to navigate life’s challenges with integrity and purpose. Drawing on real-life examples, the book offers practical advice on making ethical decisions, fostering a sense of interconnectedness, and finding peace in a chaotic world.
Introduction: Discover the principles for living a righteous life
Since 2021, the author Ryan Holiday has been working his way through what are known as the four cardinal virtues. These are the four qualities that Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics have deemed most essential to living an ethical and purposeful life. They are Courage, Temperance, Justice, and Wisdom.
Holiday covered the first virtue with his book Courage is Calling, and then tackled temperance with Discipline is Destiny. With Right Thing, Right Now, he moves on to the subject of justice.
In this case, justice isn’t exactly the stuff of courtroom drama and the judicial system. In the realm of virtue, justice is more closely associated with fairness, honesty, righteousness, and keeping your word. As we’ll see in the sections ahead, there are many ways we can live more just lives – ones that contribute to a more fair and flourishing world.
Be your own referee
In this summary we’ll look at the essential virtue of justice in three realms: the personal, or “the me”; the sociopolitical, or “the we”; and then we’ll tie it together with “the all.”
Starting with the personal is a way to remind ourselves that virtue begins with everyday behavior. The Stoics taught that while we can’t control the world’s injustices, we can control our responses and uphold our own standards. A commitment to personal ethics not only gives our lives meaning, it frees us. When you have a solid foundational code to live by, choices are simpler.
Virtuous living is all about the choices we make, and how they reflect the kind of people we want to be. Living a just life requires integrity, honesty, and good treatment of others.
Long before Harry Truman became president of the United States, he cared deeply about justice. He was influenced by the teachings of the Roman emperor and Stoic Marcus Aurelius, and wanted to live a life that embodied the four virtues. So he developed a personal code of conduct that emphasized honesty, hard work, and service.
As a result of this commitment, when he was starting a life in politics, Truman had to repeatedly refuse bribes and kickbacks. This meant he and his family often struggled financially and his career long teetered on the brink of political obscurity. Truman once told his daughter that though he might not leave her a fortune, he’d be leaving her a good and honorable name, which meant more in the long run.
As president, Truman continued to uphold his ethical standards. Among his many accomplishments were the desegregation of the armed forces and investing billions of dollars in helping to rebuild Europe after World War II.
These noble actions weren’t popular at the time, however, and when he left office his approval rating was abysmal – just over 20 percent. But over time, his legacy aged well, and many of his actions are seen as prime examples of ethical leadership.
Keeping your word and taking responsibility are other hallmarks of living justly. As the writer Joan Didion put it, character and self-respect stem from taking responsibility for your actions. It’s about doing your job well, caring about the consequences of your actions, and being dependable. This personal accountability ripples outward, affecting others and creating a world where actions are meaningful.
Take a moment to imagine a world where people, rather than competing to make more money, vied to be the most helpful, the most forgiving, or the most environmentally conscious. Could we create a society in which ethical living and genuine connections take precedence over mere professional achievements? What’s stopping us?
Integrity first
When we think about the virtues of fairness and honesty, we are invariably led to transparency. Living transparently acts as an immunization against corruption and dishonesty. Transparency involves more than just complying with laws; it’s about being open and honest in all dealings.
We now know that Thomas Jefferson wasn’t the most virtuous person in his private life, but he made a good point when he advised acting as if the whole world were watching. If you wouldn’t want your actions to be public, reconsider them. Transparency builds trust and respect – essential components of a virtuous life.
Much of what is considered justice goes hand-in-hand with the all-important characteristic of integrity. Integrity means living by what you think is right, not just what you can get away with. Legal or not, ethical behavior is paramount. For instance, lying might be protected by the First Amendment, but that doesn’t make it right. Uphold your standards, even when no one is watching.
Integrity also means being careful about whom you work and collaborate with. The Roman Stoic Cato the Younger warned others that working with unscrupulous individuals like Julius Caesar would eventually backfire. So avoid the temptations of compromise. Maintain your integrity, even if it costs you in the short run. It’s the only way to keep your reputation and self-respect intact.
Honesty. Respect. Fairness. Integrity. Justice. These can all be North Stars – guiding principles that can keep you moving in the right direction. There’s an old Greek word, pleonexia, meaning self-serving or avaricious – the opposite of justice. Ego, riches, dominance, and fame are all things that will guide you in the wrong direction because they are known to bring about corruption and corrosion. They are fleeting, while justice is constant and true.
You can also think of your own potential as a matter of justice. The writer Oscar Wilde believed that fulfilling one’s potential was our destiny. It’s a moral choice that benefits everyone. Not to strive for it is to shortchange both yourself and the world. People who reach their potential will invariably inspire and create opportunities for others.
In the next section, we’ll take a deeper look at the many ways a just and virtuous life can ripple out and affect those around you in beautiful ways.
The power of kindness
Socrates once said that justice makes us useful to both ourselves and others. In other words, justice isn’t only about you; it’s about all of us.
While discipline can be considered a personal virtue, justice is a collective one. It always comes down to working for the common good, contributing to society, and caring for people beyond our immediate circle. This means standing up for the less fortunate, making room for those with different views, and working to make the world better for future generations.
Take the English activist Thomas Clarkson. In 1785, as a young student, he wrote an essay questioning the morality of slavery. This routine exercise for school sparked a lifelong mission to end the practice. Clarkson’s efforts, combined with a broad coalition, eventually led to the abolition of slavery in many nations by 1888. He raised public awareness of the cruel practices being used and launched consumer boycotts to fight the industries that relied on slave labor.
If you ever catch yourself thinking that one person can’t make a difference, remember Clarkson. His efforts galvanized the public and brought down a multi-billion dollar industry built on cruelty and exploitation. One person’s commitment can indeed bring about profound change in the world.
At its core, justice means kindness and equanimity. Think of the golden rule: treat others how you’d want to be treated. We all want respect and fairness, and we all have the power to care, help others, and create change through justice. The Stoics believed every interaction is a chance to show kindness. This approach not only fosters better relationships, but also ensures we maintain our humanity. In a cynical world, kindness is an act of courage. Kindness is justice.
There are ways you can nurture a more virtuous mindset. This includes going out and bearing witness to how others live. The English sociologist Beatrice Webb, after living among the working classes, dedicated her life to social reform. This experience shattered her previous beliefs and led her to champion causes like collective bargaining and social safety nets. Seeing life from others’ perspectives can be a powerful catalyst for empathy and social change.
In the next section, we’ll look at how justice is synonymous with giving, and with not being afraid to step up and take action to help those in need.
Making good trouble, right now
Helping others shouldn’t be seen as optional; rather, it’s our responsibility. If we don’t do it, we’re giving injustice room to flourish. Whether it’s fighting against major injustices or participating in local issues, the decision to get involved makes all the difference.
Giving is just one way of getting involved. Anne Frank’s motto, learned from her parents, was, “No one ever became poor by giving.” It’s no coincidence that the Hebrew word for “charity,” or “tzedakah,” actually means “justice.”
Giving shouldn’t be something we’ll do later, when we’re better off, or only in big, flashy moments. It shouldn’t be something we do in order to get a pat on the back. It should be a consistent part of who we are – another North Star guiding us. Giving isn’t limited to money, either. We can be generous in other ways – with our time, effort, and praise. Even a smile, a kind word, or a simple “How are you doing?” can make a difference.
Taking the time to share the knowledge you’ve gained is also a form of giving. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle – they all nurtured great minds. Being a mentor to someone is a form of generosity that can leave a long, lasting impact on the world.
As you look at your career, ask yourself: Whom have I given a shot? Whom have I helped get ahead? How similar or different were these people from you? Be a mentor, a patron, a sponsor, an ally, or a teacher. These roles help us light candles that will light many others.
The former German chancellor Angela Merkel was taught the virtues of justice, giving, and generosity by her father, a pastor who ran a charity for the mentally handicapped. These influences were with her when she decided to accept a million refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war in 2011. Despite criticism, she believed the right thing to do was help those most vulnerable in society.
Our job is to protect the marginalized and defenseless and ensure they can live without fear. Are you supporting David or Goliath? Are you fighting tyranny, or being a tyrant? Freedom from fear is essential. We must make sure the vulnerable are protected – because they are us, and we are them.
As we’ll discuss in the next section, we are all part of one large family. Those who work tirelessly for a better future, who fight for others’ rights, and who love their enemies make the world better. Each step forward for decency makes the next one more conceivable.
And justice for all
Einstein said that humans tend to have an “optical delusion” of consciousness, a sense that we are separate, isolated individuals, even though we’re not. True peace, he suggests, comes from overcoming this illusion and recognizing our deep connection to everything and everyone.
This idea isn’t just philosophical; it’s been echoed by scientists, priests, and thinkers throughout history. We share an energy, a unity, that transcends our individual experiences. We’re never truly alone, even in our suffering.
This interconnectedness is something astronauts experience profoundly when they see Earth from space, and it’s known as the “overview effect.” This view instills a global consciousness, making them realize we’re all in this together.
The Roman politician Pericles once emphasized that a thriving community benefits everyone, while individual success in a failing society is ultimately hollow. And if success comes at the cost of others, can it really be called success at all? When we forget that we are all part of something bigger than the individual, that’s when injustice can take root.
The philosopher Albert Schweitzer had a concept called “reverence for life.” It basically expands the circle of concern to all living beings. He believed true ethics involve helping all life and avoiding harm. This is a way forward, as it not only cares for the present, but also protects society for future generations.
Of course, expanding our circle means including people with whom we might disagree. This can be difficult, but it nevertheless needs to be done.
Harvey Milk is an inspiring example. Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to government office in California, and he managed this by reaching out and building bridges, even with bigoted groups and individuals. One of those people was Dan White, a fellow politician who would ultimately murder him.
Some people might say that Harvey Milk would still be alive if he hadn’t been so stubbornly open-minded and optimistic about others. But then, he wouldn’t have been the Harvey Milk that we continue to celebrate today. His willingness to engage with those who opposed him came from a belief in the potential for education and change. Despite the risks, and his ultimate sacrifice, Milk’s approach shows us the power of grace and the importance of never giving up hope that justice will prevail.
Ultimately, love is the underlying force that connects all these ideas. As the author James Baldwin wrote, “Hatred … has never failed to destroy the men who hated.” But we know that love protects and perseveres. Love is a muscle that we must strengthen, not harden, to move through the world with compassion and resilience.
The novelist Kurt Vonnegut once said what made life worthwhile were the saints he met – people who behaved decently in a deeply indecent society. These individuals care for all things and everyone, even those yet to be born, and do what’s right even when it costs them everything. They aren’t superhuman. They are transformed by their dedication to justice. We, too, can be transformed if we choose to dedicate ourselves similarly.
Conclusion
The main takeaway of this summary to Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday is that the virtue of justice can be explored through personal, sociopolitical, and universal lenses. Beginning with personal behavior, it emphasizes that living justly starts with individual integrity and ethical choices, pointing to examples like Harry Truman, who upheld honesty and fairness despite personal cost. The narrative then expands to the broader societal implications of justice, highlighting the importance of transparency, decency, and accountability. Through historical examples like Thomas Clarkson’s fight against slavery and the interconnectedness of humanity, Holiday illustrates how just actions ripple out, affecting society positively. Ultimately, the book argues that living a just and virtuous life benefits not only oneself but the world at large, advocating for actions rooted in kindness, integrity, and a deep sense of interconnectedness.