Dominus

A lot of people are not good people. They are just people who have never been in a position where being good would cost them something. Many people are not as principled as they think. They have simply never been sufficiently tempted. It is easy to talk about loyalty when you have nothing to gain from betraying someone. It is easy to preach honesty when the truth doesn't threaten your interests. It is easy to condemn infidelity when you have never had an opportunity to cheat without getting caught. It is easy to talk about integrity when doing the right thing doesn't come at a personal cost. I think we sometimes give people too much credit for virtues they have never actually had to demonstrate under pressure. Your character is not fully revealed by what you say you would never do. It is revealed by what you have the opportunity to do, what you stand to gain from doing it, and what you choose when nobody can hold you accountable.