Regret, Character, and the Rough Stone: Lessons on Remorse
In October 2026, a news story surfaced that left many readers equal parts horrified and bewildered: a man had fired a crossbow at cats and later claimed he had only meant to scare them off. His words expressed regret — but they also raised an uncomfortable question. How sincere can remorse be when it only arrives after the consequences? That question is far from new. For centuries, thinkers and fraternal traditions have grappled with the nature of remorse, the formation of character, and the courage it takes to truly accept responsibility for one’s actions. Freemasonry, as it turns out, offers a remarkably clear framework for thinking through these issues. Aristotle and the Line Between Ignorance and Indifference In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle drew a distinction that still cuts sharply after nearly 2,400 years. He argued that an act committed out of genuine ignorance may be forgivable, but one that stems from indifference or a lack of self-reflection is not. A person who aims a crossbow at a living creature and later claims he didn’t mean it that way finds himself right on that dividing line. Was there truly ignorance about the potential consequences? Or was there a moment of moral […]
