Good

Being good is not necessarily doing good. Doing good does not always entail being good in the conventional sense.

For example, the culture of political correctness, currently practiced in certain media and more affluent segments of society, is rife with hypocrisy. Yet, I believe, this politically correct speech is a good thing in a society torn by inflated political differences and greed. I deplore the hypocrisy, but I accept the politically correct speech as an improvement upon demeaning speech. "Person of color" is preferable to any number of other descriptives. "Gay man" is preferable in the same way. Though racism and homophobia may exist and go unaddressed in circles where this speech is commonplace, I do believe it does serve to defuse some of the more hateful behaviors which get triggered by less self-conscious speech.

Other examples of being good vs. doing good are common in the greener circles of society, which also tend to be associated with affluence. Ecotourism is one of my favorites. Wealthy consumers pay high prices to stomp through virgin forest and scuba on pristine coral reefs. They travel by polluting aircraft or ocean liners. Their impact on the planet is far from good, despite their good intentions.

Yes, as my Roman Catholic grandfather often said, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Intent, without accompanying personal development and mindfulness, has dubious worth. It is more often simply an expression of egocentric need. Being good to yourself and doing good in your environment simultaneously require serious thought and daily practice of what I call "humanist values". The development of mindfulness and compassion, in concert with intent, is a lifelong pursuit, comprised of each conscious moment.