As the saying goes, “there but for the grace of God go I.”
People typically evaluate their moral standing based on what they’ve done. But that is a faulty measure because your standing rests ultimately not only on what you’ve done but on who you are. For example, you may never have betrayed a friend, but if your character is corrupt such that the only reason you never betrayed your friend is because you never had opportunity to, then you are not a good person: that counterfactual act is a stain on your character sourced in your present lack of virtue.
So if you want to evaluate your moral standing, start asking yourself some hard questions: “What would I do if ______?” And if you are uncertain of or disturbed by the answers, take a closer look at your underlying moral character.
