Am I Making Things Better?

It’s a question I often ask and it’s one architect Bob Borson asks himself, too.

As a parent, journalist and educator, I wrestle with that question quite a bit. What’s the point if I am not making things better? Mr. Borson goes deeper, delving into what integrity means:

I have wondered if personal integrity has to do with predisposition – you either have it or you do not. Maybe it’s just a matter of your character, although I sort of doubt it. Is integrity something you can teach? I’m more likely to lean towards the idea that your personal integrity starts through the exposure and observance of your role models – your parents, your social groups, your faith, etc. These days, I am of a mind to think that self-awareness and accountability will most likely highlight any areas where you are lacking, it whether or not you feel compelled to make a change. All people have integrity, it’s just a matter of how important it is to them that they maintain it.

In less then a week, 32 new kids will wander into the Photo Cave. Some will be guided by a desire to fulfill a requirement, some a desire to play with a camera and some by a desire to make things better. Those are the good kids – I want 32 new ones to go with the 16 I have already.

(By the way, you should really stick Mr. Borson’s Life of an Architect into your RSS reader. His thoughts on design and process parallel a lot of what we talk about.)