Moral Realism Term Analysis

Moral realism is David Brooks’s term for the belief that human nature is both good and evil. This view of human nature contrasts with that of the moral romanticists who believe that human nature is inherently good and trustworthy. Since they hold that human beings have both weaknesses and strengths, moral realists do not trust themselves to the degree that moral romanticists tend to do. Rather, they are hard on themselves. They confront their weaknesses, believing that through self-sacrifice and service, they will become stronger. Moral realists adhere to objective moral principles, which means that they trust an external, objective order of good while distrusting their internal impulses. Despite their somewhat negative view of human nature, moral realists have the ability to build character whereas moral romanticists are less equipped to do so. Character is built through struggle and through gaining triumph over one’s weaknesses; moral realists are able to build character because they acknowledge their weaknesses and challenge themselves to overcome them.