Unpredictability

To be engaged in the messiness and tension of moral values makes you unpredictable. If you are guided by a single moral value, such as loyalty or punctuality, you become predictable, because the moral compass resolutely points to the same direction, no matter the circumstances. The real world is not like that. There are times where it is virtuous to be punctual, and then there are other times when spontaneity is preferred, both being polar opposites. One cannot exercise all virtues at the same time. One is constantly juggling between them, navigating moral dilemmas and making mistakes along the way. That is part of being human.

The opposite is true. If one holds a single value, such as loyalty, others know what you are going to do. Bad actors then can anticipate it and find ways to manipulate you.


A prerequisite for becoming a better person is to become unpredictable. This does not mean to act out of character, but rather that your actions are informed by a constant struggle of competing moral values. In the age of predictive algorithms, to be difficult to read is a superpower. It shields you from bad actors who seek control.

And thank God most humans are unpredictable creatures. It makes life so much more interesting and rich.



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