Big Think Why goodness still matters in a self-optimized world
Oct 9, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Sarah Schnitker, a psychology and neuroscience professor at Baylor University, delves into the development of virtues like patience and gratitude. She shares compelling insights from her research on how challenges, rather than comfort, foster moral habits. Highlighting the benefits of community in cultivating virtue, Sarah notes that practices like Ramadan fasting can lead to increased self-control. Ultimately, she urges a shift from self-optimization to a focus on contributing positively to our communities.
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Virtue Is Communal, Not Just Personal
- Virtues are dispositions and habits that require community and identity beyond the self.
- Sarah Schnitker argues virtue is cultivated by practices tied to moral identity, not mere self-focus.
Virtues Form Through Repetition And Identity
- Virtues are habits formed by repeated practice and linked to a moral identity.
- Schnitker says scientific tools can help define and study what 'the right thing' means.
Practice Virtues In Real Situations
- Practice virtues in the actual situations that demand them rather than abstractly.
- If you want patience or courage, intentionally put yourself in waiting or challenging situations to build them.