Rooted in Decency Book by Colleen Doyle Bryant Author

Rooted in Decency

Finding inner peace in a world gone sideways

It’s not hard to find examples of bad behavior these days. Respectful courtesy and personal integrity seem to be memories of a bygone era. Yet what’s really curious today is how some people think what they’re doing is right, while others think their actions are horribly, morally wrong. Do we even share common values anymore?

Rooted in Decency reveals some surprising reasons behind why people are acting so wrongly toward each other and why that can make life feel so off-balance. While it’s based on intriguing research from modern science to ancient moral philosophy, Rooted in Decency is written in straightforward language for a busy audience. The chapters are brief conversations—if you could get Buddha and Aristotle to break bread with modern scientists and political commentators, these chapters might just be the conversations they’d have.

Charting a path

Rooted in Decency takes the reader on a path, from inner discovery outward toward society. Each chapter offers “a-ha” insights that

— guide readers to better understand how the current culture may be affecting them personally
— help us make sense of how other people are acting
— identify the core values that create inner peace, even when the world seems so unstable.

The included journaling pages offer readers an outlet to relate each chapter’s insights to their own experiences, if they choose.

Browse the Table of Contents

Rooted in Decency Book- The Moral Compass and Truth Continuum

Building a shared moral compass

The third part of Rooted in Decency shows how we do, in fact, share common values, and it creates a manual of sorts to help us clarify the lines between right and wrong, despite our differences. The book helps us reestablish a shared moral compass and gives us common ground to rebuild our relationships as Americans.

Learn more at RootedinDecency.com

Find out more and download printable journaling pages or book club guides at the Rooted in Decency Website.

Read Sample Chapters

Table of Contents

Part One- Looking Inward

1. Finding Lasting Happiness

Why happiness comes and goes, and how that’s a good thing.

2. Mindless Thinking

How extreme thinking is knocking us off-balance

3. The Body's Language

How there’s a positive side to “negative” emotions

4. Spirited Connection

How feeding your spirit includes a side dish of happiness and meaning

5. Self-Respect vs. Self-Esteem

Why it’s good to feel bad sometimes

Part Two- Looking Outward

6. You be You—Unless You’re a Jerk

Why we voluntarily give up some freedoms to be part of society

7. Competing Moral Priorities

Why people think they’re “right” when others think they’re “wrong”

8. Us Versus Them

How group identity isn’t the real problem - Read a sample

9. The Contagion of Cruelty and Kindness

In a world with so much negativity, why bother trying?

10. The Myth of Perfection

Why life is a series of moments for practicing who you want to be

Part Three- Setting a Course

11. Right and Wrong

Where do moral values come from?

12. Shared Values

Which values do the world's belief systems have in common?

13. Defining a Moral Compass

What are your guiding principles?

14. What is Truth?

Why we paint the truth in shades of gray - Read a sample

15. Trust Me

Why the truth still matters

16. The Post-Truth Con

Why people lie and why we’re willing to believe them

17. What is Respect?

How too little and too much respect are destabilizing society

18. Working Against Ourselves

Why you can't disrespect (or shame) someone into agreeing with you

19. What is Responsibility?

Why responsibility is a blend of empowerment and justice

20. Life After Victimhood

How to move society past a grievance state

21. What is Compassion?

Why compassion is not about eliminating suffering

22. The Bright Side

How a little perspective changes everything

Book Details

Rooted in Decency Book from Colleen Doyle Bryant

Details

ISBN Print: 978-0-9849056-6-9
ISBN ebook: 978-0-9849056-7-6
Pages: 338
Published: Oct 4, 2022

Website

Learn more at RootedinDecency.com