The Fearlessness of a Clear Conscience

Pietas Quest Question: Why does one act of duty or conscience revive the spirit better than anything else?

One act of duty performed purely for conscience’ sake revives the spirit more powerfully than indulgence, diversion, or company because it aligns the soul with immutable moral law, eliminates regret, and fortifies the heart.

Hence Conscience, void of Blame, her Front erects,
Her God she fears, all other Fear rejects. — Poor Richard’s Almanack, 1758

There is a fearlessness that comes with a clear conscience that no amount of self-help or self-esteem can approximate. This fearlessness comes from the fact that, regardless of outcomes or consequences, one has lived up to his potential as a moral being, leaving no room for regret or remorse. He is able to look misfortune and even death in the eye, unshakable and grounded in the immutable moral law.

This kind of muscular morality and clarity of conscience can sometimes seem impossible to achieve. But it is no less worthy and worthwhile a goal, and it is less daunting if we view it as an aim point rather than a stick to beat ourselves with over our imperfections. It is an image of ourselves we can hold up and aspire to, and even only incremental progress in that direction brings us closer to realizing our full potential as moral beings.

This is especially true after a particularly egregious moral failing. William Paley, one of the most influential moral philosophers in late-18th and early-19th century America, observed:

“No man’s spirits were ever hurt by doing his duty; on the contrary, one good action, one temptation resisted and overcome, one sacrifice of desire or interest, purely for conscience’ sake, will prove a cordial for weak and low spirits, far beyond what either indulgence or diversion or company can do for them.”

It is when we are at our lowest that we need to remember our potential the most. It is when we most doubt our capacity for goodness that its pursuit is most critical, not to mention the most curative.

Our conscience isn’t our enemy; it’s our closest ally and guide to navigating the mystery of existence. Cultivate and protect it as if your life depended on it.

Because it does.