"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one." - Marcus Aurelius

One of the greatest issues in the shooting and tactical communities is the poor character and behavior of our own. This has been a source of amazement and disappointment to me many times over the last few years, I think because of my background in traditional martial arts, where you are judged as much by your character as by your skill. I view shooting and tactics as martial art, so I undoubtedly expect the same emphasis on character, at least subconsciously. But I have come to realize that it simply isn’t there.

On the competitive side of shooting instruction, the community rewards baseless character assassination, misogyny, and racism from its idols. On the tactical side, special operations veterans betray each other and behave in ways they never would have dreamed of doing when they were still serving. The instructors on both sides who try to simply hold their heads high and navigate the morass with dignity gain far less traction than their less scrupulous peers.

There is a zen parable about an arrogant samurai and a wise man that goes something like this: A samurai asks a zen master for the difference between heaven and hell. The master responds by insulting the samurai, who flies into a rage, draws his sword, and prepares to kill the master, who calmly says, "That is hell". The samurai's realization of the hatred and anger he just created shocks him. He stops, puts his sword away, and bows in gratitude. The master then states, "And that is heaven.”

This parable illustrates the difference between skill and character. Skill is invaluable, but without sound character, a skilled warrior is nothing more than a competent thug. There is a reason why traditional martial arts prioritize character development, why elite military units emphasize codes of conduct. 

A USPSA classification or trophy, a tab on your shoulder or beret on your head, a trident on your chest, none of those things make you a good man. They are accomplishments to be proud of, and they shape who you are, but none of them matter at all if your character is poor. It’s far more important to be a good man. So be one. Or in the end nothing else you’ve done in your life will make up for the harm you’ve caused.