ordinary virtues, The

ordinary virtues, The

By Michael Ignatieff

Book Description

In a world increasingly divided by ideology and belief systems, philosopher Michael Ignatieff embarked on a remarkable journey to discover what ethical principles truly unite humanity. Rather than examining abstract philosophical texts or religious doctrines, he chose to explore something far more revealing: how ordinary people actually live their values in the face of real challenges.

Through a groundbreaking Carnegie Council project, Ignatieff and his research team traveled to communities grappling with extraordinary circumstances. They ventured to Brazil to understand how people navigate widespread corruption, to war-torn Sarajevo to witness reconciliation in action, to diverse Queens, New York to observe how different cultures coexist, and to Fukushima, Japan to see how communities rebuild after disaster.

What they discovered challenges common assumptions about human nature and moral diversity. Despite vast differences in culture, religion, and circumstance, people consistently gravitate toward remarkably similar core values: trust, tolerance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and resilience. These ordinary virtues, as Ignatieff calls them, form the bedrock of human community across all boundaries.

Yet the research also reveals a troubling pattern. When communities face severe stress or suffering, this natural moral solidarity begins to fracture, leading people to retreat into protective tribal thinking. Ignatieff explores which political and social institutions best nurture our shared ethical instincts, offering insights into how societies can cultivate virtue rather than division.

This exploration of lived ethics provides profound hope for anyone seeking to understand our common humanity.

Who Is This For?

📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~7 hours)

📄 Length: 263 pages

What You'll Discover

  • ✓ Cultivate virtuous qualities
  • ✓ Explore New York Times reviewed
  • ✓ Understand spiritual ethics
  • ✓ Explore Virtues -- Social aspects -- Cross-cultural studies
  • ✓ Explore Ethics
  • ✓ Explore Applied ethics
  • ✓ Explore Virtue and virtues
  • ✓ Explore Applied ethics -- Cross-cultural studies

Topics Covered

Virtues -- Political aspects -- Cross-cultural studies New York Times reviewed Ethics -- Social aspects -- Cross-cultural studies Virtues -- Social aspects -- Cross-cultural studies Ethics Applied ethics Virtue and virtues Applied ethics -- Cross-cultural studies Virtues Cross-cultural studies Ethics, Comparative Comparative Ethics

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