cover image Some Do Care: Contemporary Lives of Moral Commitment

Some Do Care: Contemporary Lives of Moral Commitment

Anne Colby. Free Press, $22.95 (350pp) ISBN 978-0-02-906355-2

In profiling 23 Americans whose lives stand in marked contrast to what they see as the nation's general dearth of moral leaders, two developmental psychologists temper their social science approach with a sense of wonder. Closely scrutinizing personal histories, Colby (coauthor of The Measurement of Moral Justice ) and Damon ( The Moral Child ) delve deeply into the autobiographical origins of their subjects' contributions to civil welfare, social justice, the fight against poverty and a host of other causes. In highlighting the lives of five exemplars with widely differing educational, social and ethnic backgrounds (including former Haverford College president Jack Coleman, noted for his ``blue-collar sabbaticals''), the authors demystify heroism, stressing the ordinariness of moral commitment as it is played out in everyday social life. Their research points up how role models inspired these people toward a sense of mission, and offers new insights about how moral leadership comes about. ( Sept. )