Spirit of ’76 Theme for August: Ethics

It is August 2026 and for this month the Spirit of ‘76 theme is Ethics. We have covered Stoicism, History, Religion, War, Tyranny, Liberty, and Future, so now we need to get it right with Ethics. This will bring us back into the realm of politics.

Ethics are the principles and practices we use to decide what is right or wrong, good or bad, and how we ought to live and treat others. They include both personal values (what an individual believes they should do) and shared standards (what a community expects). In philosophy, ethics asks questions like: What makes an action morally permissible? What do we owe other people? What kind of person should I become? It also examines different approaches—such as judging actions by their consequences, by duties and rights, or by the virtues they express—to guide real-life choices.

Let’s consider fraud from the perspective of different ethical viewpoints. Fraud is unequivocally wrong from a utilitarian perspective because it typically results in more harm than good, undermining trust and causing financial and emotional distress for those affected, which outweighs any temporary benefit to the perpetrator. From a deontological standpoint, fraud is unethical because it violates a fundamental duty of honesty and respect owed to others, disregarding the principle of treating individuals as ends in themselves rather than mere means to an end. Virtue ethics condemns fraud as it manifests a deficiency in moral character, displaying traits like dishonesty and greed rather than virtues such as integrity and fairness. From a care ethics perspective, fraud is wrong because it disregards the interconnectedness and well-being of the relational network, prioritizing self-interest over the caring and empathetic considerations owed to others. Meanwhile, a social contract theorist would argue that fraud breaches the implicit agreements that form the foundation of cooperative society, disrupting the mutual trust necessary for societal stability and harmony. 

Graftastic is the ninth single from the Spirit of ‘76 album. The song is about a greedy grafter grifting his way to the top. He’s a slick conman, promising get-rich-quick schemes to his marks. This is a pop rock earworm with glittering guitars and (phew! phew!) lasers. This upbeat track will lure you in, seduce you with your own dreams, and sell you on the fantasy of fast living. This track is literally too good to be true.

Thinking Thursdays Schedule in August

August 6th, 2026	Universality, Duty, and Dignity: Kant’s Categorical Imperative in Practice
August 13th, 2026	“A Presidency for Sale?”: Trump’s Second Term and the New Face of American Corruption
August 20th, 2026	Money, Mercy, and Power: Trump’s Unprecedented Use of the Pardon
August 27th, 2026	Power, Character, and Institutions: Ethics for Responsible Political Leadership

Focusing on Ethics is how we get to the good life.

Thank you for reading,

Jared Endicott

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