David Brooks is a regular editorial columnist for the New York Times.  Even though the NYT is well known for its liberal leanings, David is actually a conservative.  Most of the time, I find his writings thoughtful, balanced and fair.

I just finished his latest book “The Road to Character”.  I did not like it one bit.  It irritated me.  I’ve been trying to understand why.

The book is a series of mini biographies of famous people from the past.  They are all remarkable, admirable in some way, but also fundamentally flawed.  Aren’t we all?  It is centered in moral philosophy but doesn’t really go into any depth of psychological or spiritual analysis.  The central message is that in the olden days, we had a better chance at being humble and accepting of our small role as members of the larger society.  But now, we are self-centered, arrogant and just misguided in our attempts at individual happiness and fulfillment.

David may be absolutely right in his appreciations.  I don’t really know and won’t judge.  But it left me with a very empty feeling.  Why did I spend so many hours on this allegedly or presumed righteous book?  How is my life better by having read it?  That’s what’s left me wanting.

I read a lot of stuff and think.  I try to find messages for me, how I can integrate into the repertoire of my life to make me a better person.  That’s why I don’t read a lot of fiction, almost none.  Also, that’s why I stopped reading things like UFO accounts and conspiracy theories.  Maybe I take life too seriously and should just revel in the entertainment value of things more than I do.

But “The Road to Character” is not entertainment.  It is moralizing, likely self-righteous and finger-pointing.  I have no idea how David leads his life but I can imagine he’s trying to build his road to character according to his book.  In essence, I find it useless even though I’m sure David spent plenty of his energy for a long time writing it, did it with his best heart and considers it part of his artistic legacy.  Dear Readers, you’re welcome to go for it, but I won’t give you the link this time.

I can’t pass up the opportunity to summarize my views, what works for me.  My road to character is simple:

• Meditate, meditate, meditate.
• Think about how you want to be and change it as often as you need to.  But don’t let anyone tell you and define for you who you are and how you want to be.  It’s your creative right emanating from your free will.  You are not a sheep following a herd.  You are you.
• If your behaviors (words and acts) don’t match how you want to be, then flex uncomfortable muscles to help you align them.  Your mental desire rules.
• The purpose of life is…  there is no purpose to life (other than preserving itself).  Life just is.   Enjoy it!!