SEX, LOVE, AND CHARACTER
 
A TALK TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 
 
Thomas Lickona, Ph.D. 
Director, Center for the 4th and 5th Rs (Respect and Responsibility) 
State University of New York College at Cortland 
 
 
 Permit me to begin by telling you a little bit about myself. I'm a psychologist, a college 
professor, a family counselor, a husband (married to my wife Judith for 37 years), a father, and 
a grandfather. I’d like to talk to you today about sex, love, and character. 
 
 What is good character? It’s having the right stuff on the inside—strengths such as 
honesty, respect, responsibility, caring, and self-control. 
 
Character is built, not born. We create our character by the choices we make. Good 
choices create good character; bad choices create bad character. 
 
 Why is character important? An anonymous sage once wrote: