Book SummaryThe Road to Character, by David Brooks

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Road to Character

Would you rather develop a new product or develop your soul? What matters more to you—being a successful CEO or being someone who always lends a helping hand? Having a pile of money in the bank or knowing that your retirement years will be shared with friends and family who adore you?

These are the kinds of questions that New York Times columnist David Brooks makes us consider in his 2015 book, The Road to Character. Brooks believes we live in a cultural framework that emphasizes exterior success—money, fame, status, work promotions, and other upwardly mobile achievements—at the expense of our virtue and inner character.

In order to succeed in that framework, we’ve become narcissists. Because we want to ascend the ladder of success, we put ourselves at the center of our own universe. Almost every minute of our days must be spent working toward some achievement. We inflate our resumés with accolades and promotions. We have lunch with the “right” people. We trade up to larger houses and fancier cars. We enroll our kids in the best schools. We spend our lives in pursuit of superficial, materialistic gains because we believe this will make us happy. The problem is that these accomplishments don’t give us deep satisfaction—eventually they leave us feeling hollow and empty, wondering what it was all for.

The Road to Character argues that in order to live more meaningful lives, we need to move toward a moral renewal. We need to ask ourselves how we can better serve the world instead of just serving ourselves. If we start paying more attention to living virtuously and strengthening our character rather than building our resumés and stock portfolios, we can enjoy a life filled with purpose instead of shallow victories. And ultimately, we’ll become happier people.

Our Worldview Shifts From “We” to “Me”

Our culture wasn’t always obsessed with personal achievement. Today’s “me-focused” worldview didn’t arise until the late 1940s. Prior to that time, most Americans accepted the notion of “original sin”—that we’re born deeply flawed, and it’s our task to battle our imperfections. Whether we win or lose that battle, the fight is always worthwhile because character is built through struggle.

Because we realized we were flawed, we believed there must be a greater good in the world, a purpose bigger than ourselves. That belief made us more community-minded. People thought it was honorable to be modest about individual successes and more deely invested in the wellbeing of our neighborhoods, communities, or country. Humility and self-restraint were highly respected traits.

Consider President George Bush Sr., who was born in 1924 and grew up during the Great Depression. After his speechwriters prepared his speeches, he would go through and cross out every instance of the word “I.” He believed that he needed to serve as the voice of the people, not of himself.

Cultural Roots of the Shift

The “me-focused” zeitgeist, which took root in the late 1940s and early 1950s, came about after Americans’ long period of deprivation during World War II. It was psychologically liberating to shift from the hardships of war and poverty to the freedom of consumerism. Advertisements for new, exciting products started to frame a new way of living (and thinking). At the same time, popular books stressed a humanistic psychology that described a more uplifting version of what human life could be. (One of that era’s biggest bestsellers was the 1952 self-help book The Power of Positive Thinking.) The message switched from “you’re born as a flawed sinner” to “you’re great, so love yourself.” (Shortform note: To learn more about the ideas that caused this shift, read our summary of The Power of Positive Thinking.)

Over time, the pendulum swung so far in the direction of self-actualization that it has now reached the extreme of narcissism—we’re all about ourselves—the "Big Me." And we’re mostly blind to it. If asked, most of us would say we’re more virtuous than a lot of other people. But therein lies our problem. We have such an inflated view of ourselves that we don't see our own flaws. We have so much confidence in ourselves that we justify our life choices just because they "feel right." We’ve sipped from our own Kool-Aid. In short, we’ve become self-obsessed.

However, as we glibly travel along our “me-focused” roads, our lives have lost their sense of meaning. We’re so busy achieving worldly success, there’s no time for soul-searching, pondering our character, or questioning whether we’re behaving in a morally righteous manner. On top of that, we don’t remember what it feels like to devote ourselves to a cause larger than ourselves. We’ve lost the value—and the deep, abiding joy—of sublimating our individual desires for a greater good.

We Can Still Be Capitalists

The good news is that the two schools of thought—living an achievement-based life versus living a virtuous life—are not mutually exclusive. We can be achievement-oriented without being egotistically “me-focused.” We are resourceful enough to be able to combine our ambition with moral and spiritual development. We don’t need to go off to a mountaintop and renounce all worldly pleasures in order to live a fulfilling life—in fact, our economy depends on us being high-achieving workers who earn and spend money.

The battle for stronger character and high morals is waged on the inside. What you do for your vocation can aid in this battle—working in public service is definitely good for the soul—but what matters most is looking inward, admitting to your imperfections, facing life with humility, and struggling to become a better human being. If you devote enough effort to examining your flaws and developing your inner character, you could manage a successful hedge fund while living a life of selfless virtue.

A New Kind...

The Road to Character Summary Part 1: The Problem | Introduction and Chapter 1: We Worship at the Altar of “Me”

New York Times columnist David Brooks believes that modern society has lost its moral compass, and our lives will feel empty until we find it again. In The Road to Character, he asserts that in the last 70 years—beginning soon after World War II’s end—our culture has undergone a huge moral shift toward narcissism.

Today we’re obsessed with personal success and individual achievements. We believe that the length of our resumés is the ultimate measure of our worth. We think that a successful career, fame, and a fat bank account equal a fulfilling life. We broadcast our tiniest personal victories on Facebook and Instagram while we cover up, ignore, or even lie about our character flaws. We’re so busy achieving—and telling our friends what we’ve achieved—that we don’t waste a single moment wondering if there’s any higher purpose for our lives.

The Problems With a “Me-Focused” Life

Ironically, in our conquest for external success, we've made ourselves unhappy. As we center our lives around “living the good life”—striving for fabulous careers, sprawling mansions, and glamorous vacations—we've lost our connection to the moral values that bring deep, lasting joy. Happiness...

Shortform Exercise: Reflect on Your Resumé Activities Versus Eulogy Activities

Brooks writes that most of us believe “eulogy virtues” are more important than “resumé virtues, and yet most of us spend more time on the latter.

Consider an average day or week in your life and list the main activities that consume your time. Label each activity with either “R” (for an activity that cultivates a “resumé virtue,” a job-related skill or success) or “E” (for an activity that cultivates a "eulogy virtue," a personality trait that people might talk about at your funeral).

Shortform Exercise: Listen In on Your Funeral

One way to examine how you’re living now is to think about how other people will remember you when you’re gone.

Imagine you're listening in at your own funeral service. What 2-4 characteristics would you like to be remembered for?

The Road to Character Summary Part 2: Examples From History | Chapter 2: Frances Perkins

So how do we move toward living happier, more fulfilling lives? We can find the answer in the lives of those who achieved it. Chapters 2-9 explore the lives of famous historical figures from different time periods and vastly different backgrounds who exercised humility to their advantage. Each of these people suffered from personal crises in youth or adulthood, but their struggles helped to strengthen their character and taught them to focus on the greater good, not on themselves. Some had serious personality flaws, but by recognizing and admitting to their imperfections and weaknesses, they were able to transform themselves into more virtuous people. Through internal struggle, they built a strong inner character and then offered their services to the world through leadership, activism, writing, or other means.

In this chapter, we’ll examine the life of Frances Perkins, U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945. Known as “the woman behind the New Deal,” she demonstrated the importance of:

• Seeking out your vocation—the ways in which you can best serve the world—and committing to it completely
• Sacrificing your individual desires for a greater cause
• Not boasting...

Shortform Exercise: What’s Your True Calling?

In his discussion of Perkins’s life story, Brooks writes that the definition of a fulfilling vocation is one that utilizes your skills and talents for the benefit of society.

Make a list of 3-5 skills and talents you already possess, whether they are hard skills (“I can write software code”) or soft skills (“I’m good with elderly people and children”).

The Road to Character Summary Chapter 3: Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. "Ike" Eisenhower, the general who commanded the Allied invasion of France and later became U.S. President, demonstrated the importance of:

• Achieving self-restraint—controlling our emotions and conquerings our tendencies for impulsive action
• Building character through strict self-discipline
• Exercising patience—taking the long view and seeing beyond immediate gratification to larger, longer-term goals
• Leading with moderation—making important decisions gradually and incrementally rather than striving for a quick, dramatic fix

Eisenhower’s Character Development

Dwight Eisenhower was brought up in a strictly disciplined household. His parents had very little money and six children, all boys. His mother, Ida, forced the boys to learn good discipline and habits from a very young age. She insisted they start their chores at dawn, study for school, and read the Bible aloud daily. Ida gave the boys a lot of love but very little leeway in terms of moral choices. In her home, there were no card games, dancing, or frivolity—she believed that these temptations could lead to greater evils.

The young Eisenhower was smart and athletic, but he struggled with...

The Road to Character Summary Chapter 4: Dorothy Day

Dorothy Day, an American journalist-turned-activist who founded the Catholic Worker movement and the newspaper The Catholic Worker, advocated for the poor and the homeless during the Depression. She demonstrated the importance of:

• Self-reflection and self-criticism—the ability to recognize and admit to your own flaws
• Understanding that suffering has value—there is inherent beauty in the struggle for higher moral character
• Accepting the Christian concept of grace—realizing that no matter how much struggle you face and no matter how much you sin, God will eventually redeem you
• Finding your vocation and purpose in life, then fully devoting yourself to it

Day’s Character Development

From early childhood, Day had a deep sense of God’s presence in the world. She was eight years old and alone in San Francisco during the city’s epic 1906 earthquake. She experienced the horrifying shaking as the work of an almighty, impersonal God. She also saw how people pulled together in the quake’s aftermath—neighbors helping neighbors. That memory—of people coming together during times of crisis—influenced her entire life.

Despite realizing God’s presence, for most...

The Road to Character Summary Chapter 5: George C. Marshall

George Catlett Marshall, the Army general who led America through World War II and created a plan to rebuild Europe after the war, demonstrated the importance of:

• Exhibiting a reserved, dignified demeanor
• Sacrificing our individual desires for the benefit of others
• Living humbly and finding fulfillment in our obligations to our community
• Curbing our passions and moderating our opinions for the greater good

Marshall’s Character Development

Born in 1880, George Marshall’s early years were mostly a disappointment. He was a poor student in school and undisciplined at home. When he wanted to follow his older brother to the Virginia Military Institute, his brother begged their parents not to let him go for fear he would embarrass the family.

But Marshall proved his brother wrong. He blossomed at VMI, a school that emphasized honor, self-control, and service. The regimentation suited him perfectly. Like most first-year students at the school, Marshall was hazed and bullied by upperclassmen, but he held on to his dignity and toughened up under peer pressure. His teachers taught him to revere history’s heroes from George Washington to Joan of Arc, and those...

The Road to Character Summary Chapter 6: A. Philip Randolph

One of America’s most prominent civil rights activists, Asa Philip Randolph organized the first predominantly Black labor union in 1925. Randolph demonstrated the importance of:

• Cultivating an iron-clad code of moral discipline
• Living a life of quiet dignity and impeccable manners
• Achieving self-mastery over anger and other fleeting emotions

Randolph’s Character Development

Born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1889, A. Philip Randolph learned from his minister father that a person's behavior was far more important than his skin color. His parents preached the importance of strict posture, formal manners, meticulous speech, and elevated intellectual endeavors. His father and other prominent Black church figures taught him that Black liberation could be achieved through political action and intellectual discourse rather than bloody revolution. The family lived in a time and place of blatant racism, but Randolph was taught to fall back on “gentlemanly conduct” at all times, which meant responding to every slur with civility, humility, and dignity.

As a student, Randolph excelled in academics, sports, and drama. After high school, he moved to New York to...

The Road to Character Summary Chapter 7: George Eliot

Author of the masterpiece novel Middlemarch and numerous other writings, author George Eliot demonstrated the importance of:

• Taking agency for our own lives—developing our own set of moral guidelines.
• Developing a resilient sense of self based on our own valuations, not based on how others see us.
• Allowing deep, committed love to open us up to transcendence

Eliot’s Character Development

The novelist George Eliot was born in England in 1819 under the name Mary Anne Evans. She was sent to boarding school at five years old, her mother died when she was 15, and then she was forced to return home to serve as her father’s housekeeper. Her only ally was her older brother, who eventually abandoned her.

Mary Anne lived in a time when there was no such thing as higher education for women, but her natural intelligence and curiosity drove her to become a voracious reader. Her constant devouring of books was her way of searching for meaning, and by her late teens, she thought she had found her answers in Christianity. She became a religious extremist, alienating all her friends with her puritan views, but then a few years later, she rejected Christianity altogether....

The Road to Character Summary Chapter 8: Augustine

St. Augustine, a 4th-century theologian who learned to reject his fleeting human desires and surrender himself to God and grace, demonstrated the importance of:

• Understanding that humans are born sinners. We cannot trust our own desires because our desires always lead us astray. We are wired to behave sinfully, even if we know our sinful behavior is pointless and will only make us unhappy.
• Pride makes us believe that we are the drivers of our own lives, but we aren't. We can't be better people by working harder or developing better habits. We become better people by recognizing that God is in charge of our lives.
• Accepting God’s grace. Knowledge or learning are not enough to make us good; only God can make us good.

Augustine’s Character Development

Augustine was born in 354 AD in what is now Algeria. His mother, Monica, was a devout member of the African Christian community and wanted her son to be equally devoted to God. But the young Augustine didn't feel drawn to religion and saw his mother as smothering and possessive.

A brilliant student, Augustine often felt bored by his studies. He was such a high achiever that a wealthy patron chose to sponsor...

The Road to Character Summary Chapter 9: Samuel Johnson

The brilliant writer and critic Samuel Johnson, who made major contributions to English literature in the 18th century as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, and editor, demonstrated the importance of:

• Resilience: Protracted periods of struggle help to build our character. Inner turmoil builds our character.
• Self-examination and self-critique: Don’t think you’re fine the way you are. Take a good hard look at yourself to see where you can improve.
• Self-improvement: Humans can’t achieve perfection, but there is beauty in trying.

Johnson’s Character Development

Johnson was born in the town of Lichfield, England in 1709. He was disadvantaged from the start. Not only was Johnson's family poor, but the young boy suffered from a range of physical and psychological maladies. Nonetheless, Johnson’s remarkable intellect was apparent at a young age. He studied languages, literature, and theology at Oxford University, but he did not have the funds to be able to complete his degree. After leaving Oxford, he fell into a four-year-long depression and his physical health worsened.

Johnson struggled with his chronic poor health, but...

The Road to Character Summary Part 3: The Solution | Chapter 10: Finding the Way Back to Virtue

What lessons can we learn from these great figures? How do we rebuild our character, strengthen our moral code, and find a deeper sense of meaning in our existence?

Guidelines for a More Moral Life

To help us recalibrate our moral compasses, Brooks outlines a 15-point Humility Code in the final chapter of the book. Following this code will help us circumvent our tendency for narcissism, help us live more virtuous lives, and ultimately make us happier, better people. These are his 15 guiding principles for building character, organized by theme:

Think “We” Instead of “Me”

• Understand that we are naturally selfish and self-centered. We are narcissists at the core, and we have to combat the urge to act selfishly. This requires eternal vigilance because selfishness is deeply ingrained in our natures.
• Don’t pursue temporal happiness. Seek moral goodness instead and you’ll find happiness along the way. We aren’t here on earth for the momentary pleasure of buying some new trinket, basking in the praise of others, or increasing our social status. Serving our own self-interest doesn’t bring deep down joy, but serving others’ needs does. **We...

Shortform Exercise: Apply the Humility Code to Your Life

The 15 points outlined above give us a set of guidelines for building our character and living a more virtuous life.

Which of these points resonates most deeply with you, and why?