New York Times columnist.

I assumed character was this thing you had inside, this iron figure of willpower. So if you worked hard and did your self-control push-ups you would develop strong character, which was this iron self-control. But then I came to understand that none of us is strong enough to control ourselves against self-deception, self-indulgence or self-centredness. And character is not really found inside. It's actually found in the strength of your commitments to others.