“Legislators punish voluntary wrongs but pardon the involuntary.”
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book III, Chapter 5
(Translated by W.D. Ross)
Big Idea
Life’s like your mom’s house rules:
- 🚦 On Purpose = Stay out past curfew just to rebel → Grounded for a week.
- 🤷 Accident = Come home late because the bus broke down → “Just text me next time.”
Real-Life Scenarios
- Road Rules
- On Purpose = Speed through a school zone → Big ticket.
- Accident = Hit a pothole and dent your tire → Insurance helps.
- Work Blunders
- On Purpose = Steal office supplies → Fired + cops called.
- Accident = Spill coffee on company laptop → Boss says “Use a mug next time.”
- Online Oops
- On Purpose = Post mean comments → Account banned.
- Accident = Autocorrect turns “great” to “hate” → Edit and apologize.
What You Can Do
- The “Responsibility Check”
Ask yourself:- “Did I mean to do this?” → If YES → Own it.
- “Was it a true accident?” → If YES → Explain calmly.
- Oops Journal
Track for 3 days:- “Today I messed up ______. Was it on purpose? Y/N”
- Family Chat
At dinner, ask:
“What’s something you did by accident this week that you wish people understood?”