
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

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
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
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
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

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