The first requirement of a virtuous life for a person is personal integrity. Without personal integrity, intelligence, stunning looks, or eloquence is nothing more than an empty shell. Life is truly about choices or intent, not necessarily the result. Therefore if the outcome

is unfavorable, a person should accept it and not lament the loss. “The world of Epictetus” by Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale emphasizes freedom, morality and humanity. It describes a navy commander’s real life chronicles during the Vietnam War and afterwards. Throughout the article, Stockdale accentuates the idea of personal integrity. He says integrity consists of knowing one’s situation through education and thus understanding the limit of your responsibility. He gives an example of this man he met in Jail, who was handsome, smart and articulate however this man would sell his soul to the devil for success. He took bribes and betrayed his fellow Americans. This is an explicit model of a person with lack of rectitude. However in time, he retired from his disgraceful tacit but was too ashamed to correspond with the other American prisoners. In due course, he started to communicate with the American prisoner organization and “even became a leader of sorts” but never completely “won himself back”. Nevertheless, Stockdale does go on to state that he does not believe that leadership traits are congenital and to achieve it, one has to learn integrity. Then perhaps one day the man will learn self-discipline, integrity and honesty thus winning him back. Alongside integrity rewards a virtuous life.