When the norm is decency, other virtues can thrive: integrity

Hear, O children of tomorrow, the voice of Raja Krishnamoorthi, who with simple but piercing wisdom declared: “When the norm is decency, other virtues can thrive: integrity, honesty, compassion, kindness, and trust.” These words, though gentle in sound, are mighty in meaning. For they reveal that the soil in which all virtues grow is decency itself—basic respect, fairness, and civility. Without this foundation, higher virtues wither; but where decency is common and expected, the noble qualities of humanity blossom like fruit on a well-tended tree.

What is decency but the everyday choice to treat others with respect? It is not the grand gesture of a hero, nor the rare act of sainthood, but the ordinary conduct of one who sees the humanity of his neighbor. Decency is the quiet refusal to cheat, to mock, to wound. It is the willingness to listen, the readiness to share, the discipline to act with fairness even when no one is watching. When such decency is the norm, society itself breathes easier, and men and women are free to rise toward greater virtues—toward integrity, honesty, compassion, kindness, and trust.

Consider the story of George Washington, who in his youth copied by hand the “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior.” Though they were simple guidelines of courtesy, they became the frame upon which his character was built. From this decency grew the greater virtues for which he is remembered: integrity in leadership, honesty in speech, kindness toward even his enemies, and trust from a fledgling nation. His life testifies to Krishnamoorthi’s wisdom: decency is not a small thing, but the root of greatness.

History also warns us of its opposite. When societies lose decency, when cruelty, mockery, and selfishness become the norm, higher virtues cannot stand. Recall the decline of the French monarchy before the Revolution, when the people saw rulers flaunting wealth, mocking the poor, and living without restraint. In such soil, virtues could not grow—only anger, envy, and despair. The absence of decency produced not compassion but vengeance, not trust but suspicion. Thus, a world without decency becomes a furnace where virtue burns away.

O seekers of wisdom, see this truth: decency is the seed, and all other virtues are the harvest. When integrity falters, it is because decency was not upheld. When honesty dies, it is because decency has been abandoned. When trust is broken, it is because decency was never planted. Therefore, if you would live in a society of trust, if you would see kindness flourish and compassion endure, you must first insist on decency in the smallest matters—speech, conduct, fairness in daily life.

The lesson is clear: do not despise decency as something common or unremarkable. For it is the shield that guards integrity, the ground that nourishes honesty, the lamp that lights compassion. A society that honors decency builds an invisible wall around itself, protecting the vulnerable and uplifting the strong. A home that honors decency becomes a sanctuary; a nation that honors decency becomes a beacon.

Practical action lies here: in your daily life, choose decency as your norm. Speak with respect, even in disagreement. Treat the stranger with courtesy, the weak with gentleness, the strong with fairness. Do not excuse cruelty as cleverness, nor rudeness as honesty. Instead, insist on decency in your home, your work, your community. Teach it to your children, demand it from your leaders, and embody it yourself. In this way, you create the soil in which all other virtues can flourish.

So let the words of Raja Krishnamoorthi echo in your heart: “When the norm is decency, other virtues can thrive.” Let decency be your foundation, and upon it build integrity, honesty, compassion, kindness, and trust. For these are not only virtues of individuals—they are the pillars of civilizations. Guard them, nourish them, and pass them on, that future generations may dwell in their shade.