March 26, 2026

“Aristotle considered courage to be the cardinal virtue as it is the one virtue that guarantees all the others. Without courage, we can expect more self-censorship and obsequious flattery from CEOs.” – Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal

In his latest article, Zero Introspection, Rosenthal argues that the rejection of ethical reflection and moral duties by America's business leaders—combined with an unwillingness to defend the very system that incubated their success—is a baffling and deeply troubling trend across the private sector. 

Moral responsibility doesn't begin and end with the C-suite alone. Take a listen to Professor Elke Schwarz's appearance on the Values & Interests podcast.

Gaslighting: The New Playbook for Bad-Faith Politics 

According to Harvard’s Professor Mathias Risse, gaslighting—"persuasion through systematic besmirching, belittling, and the inversion of shared norms”—has become a dominant rhetorical force in American politics.

This disingenuous approach, embraced by leaders such as Donald Trump and JD Vance, erodes the very fabric of civic life and good-faith exchange—two essential pillars for a functioning democracy. In response, Risse offers a vision of “adaptive leadership.”

Risse’s piece is part of the latest edition of Ethics & International Affairs—the journal of Carnegie Council. A reminder that all journal articles are fully open access.

Character and Leadership: A Conversation with Lt. General (ret.) Mark Hertling 

U.S. Army Lt. General (ret.) Mark Hertling recently visited Carnegie Council to discuss the moral-political fork in the road for America in 2026, and lessons from his new book If I Don’t Return. How can leaders regain trust in a time of geopolitical upheaval? Access the roundtable recording and transcript on our site.

Reminder: Apply for the Carnegie Ethics Fellowship 

Are you a young leader committed to empowering ethics across your personal and professional life? If so, the Carnegie Ethics Fellowship could be a fit for you. Learn more about the Fellowship here and apply below. The deadline to apply is April 24.