The Code of the West

Moral and ethical codes can come in many forms. Ethics codes can come from an external source, like the company you work for or the school you attend. They can be instilled in you from somebody that you look up to. Moral codes usually come from within and are a product of your life experiences and values. Corporations across the world publish their own codes of conduct and require ethics training be completed by their employees. Thousands and thousands of iterations of ethical expectations that all, for the most part, say the same thing. And that all, unfortunately, can sometimes be overlooked and even ignored.

I tend to breeze through required ethics training as fast as possible so I can get back to “real work”. I know that sounds bad, but I also know that I’m not alone in doing so. This isn’t because I don’t care about being a good person or hearing what the training has to offer, it’s because I’m confident in my own moral and ethical codes that I’ve always tried to live by. I’m confident in my judgement of what’s “right” and what’s “wrong”.

In 2004, James P. Owen published the book, Cowboy Ethics. It describes the timelessness of the simple code that was (and still is) supposedly followed by American cowboys. The book included his own translation of this unwritten code, which he named, Ten Principles to Live By.

My dad bought the book in 2004 when I was in fifth grade. He also bought a bunch of wallet-sized cards that listed James P. Owen’s Ten Principles to Live By. He gave me one of the cards and told me the importance of understanding these principles. And even more important — to do my best to live by them. I’ve kept this card with me since he gave it to me. I genuinely try my best to live by this code because I believe in the importance of the values behind each principle, though there are definitely times when I catch myself slipping up.

I want to share The Ten Principles with you just in case life has fucked with your priorities lately or you feel like you could use a little extra structure for your everyday mindset. I know I often refer to this code, maybe because I feel a little lost or a little guilty or a little homesick. I hope it finds you well.

Ten Principles to Live By, written by James P. Owen; Published in his book, Cowboy Ethics

1. Live Each Day with Courage
2. Take Pride in Your Work
3. Always Finish What You Start
4. Do What Has to Be Done
5. Be Tough, But Fair
6. When You Make a Promise, Keep It
7. Ride for the Brand
8. Talk Less and Say More
9. Remember That Some Things Are Not For Sale
10. Know Where to Draw the Line