Todd May's framework of decency is presented as a moral approach distinct from traditional philosophical theories, aimed at guiding everyday moral life for most people. 1. **Decency is Morality for "The Rest of Us"** The framework is specifically proposed for individuals who want to live morally and be "better than moral mediocrities," but who recognize that they "will not or cannot be moral altruists". It acknowledges that most people aren't seeking to live lives that are "beacons of moral light". The book presenting this framework, _A Decent Life: Morality for the Rest of Us_, directly addresses this audience. May suggests that while questions about "the best" are important and addressed by traditional philosophy, decency offers a way of thinking for those pursuing "something less than the best, because we cannot or will not or perhaps think we ought not to do otherwise". It's presented as one possible understanding of what the attempt to live decently might amount to. 2. **Its Basis is the Recognition of Others' Lives** The moral core of decency, and its underlying theme, is the acknowledgment that others in the world have lives to live. This means recognizing that we share the world—our daily environment, our political culture, and the planet—with other people who are also trying to "construct lives that are worth their living". These lives involve seeking to engage in projects and relationships that unfold over time, being aware of one's death, having basic biological needs (food, shelter, sleep), and psychological needs (care, attachment). Decency involves integrating this fundamental fact into our own living. 3. **It Differs from Traditional Moral Theories** May argues that for navigating daily life, we cannot solely rely on traditional moral theories, whether in their rigorous or diluted forms, or straightforward appeals to moral duties. The framework of decency is not primarily concerned with traditional concepts such as duty, right, utility, intent, obligation, or the Good, or it "cuts across" them. While traditional philosophy is important for asking questions about "the better and the worse" or "the best," May's interest is more "pedestrian," focusing on how most of us, who desire to be morally decent, might frame our approach. He suggests thinking of moral life in terms of "moral gracefulness" rather than solely duties and obligations. 4. **It Aims to be Both Enlightening and Guiding** The goal of the decency framework is twofold: to help us "see what we already do morally" and to "allow us to further our moral behavior in ways that remain within the parameters of what we can reasonably ask of ourselves". A successful framework must meet both challenges; if it only describes current behavior, it offers no guidance, and if it only gives guidance without connecting to current behavior, it risks feeling alien. It offers "reasonable paths to extend what we are about" morally. 5. **It Involves Respecting Dignity** Recognizing that others have lives to live implies respecting their dignity. Decency means treating people with dignity, which involves acknowledging their "intrinsic value as human beings". This sets certain limits on how we treat others, preventing us from shutting people off from developing important life projects, significant relationships, or meeting their basic biological needs. People need to be able to engage in various projects (friendships, meaningful work, love relationships, hobbies) that unfold over time in order to thrive. Preventing them from doing so is a failure to acknowledge their dignity. The idea of treating someone with dignity can also be understood as treating them with respect, though May's approach, while having much in common with Kant's view on dignity, does not ground dignity solely in reason but in the broader idea that lives have shapes or trajectories. Developing self-discipline that allows one to navigate collective space with humility and respectfulness can be seen as a "training in dignified behavior". 6. **It Extends to Political Behavior** The framework of decency can be applied to our political lives. Approaching political decency means starting from the same underlying theme: recognizing that we share the political culture and the planet with others who are constructing lives worth living. The question becomes how we might "act decently to improve our common space". This doesn't require extreme altruism or defining the entirety of our lives, but asks each person to contribute to a reasonable degree. 7. **It Can Go Beyond Small Acts of Kindness** While decency includes small acts of kindness, it can extend beyond them. The line between common decency and a more extreme altruism can be difficult to draw, and there is "no need to draw a bright line" for the purpose of understanding our general moral relations. Examples like risking alienating friends for a Shabbat invitation blur this line. 8. **It Can Foster Self-Acceptance and Balance** Maintaining recognition of others, even when their behavior is disrespectful, can require a degree of self-acceptance. Alternatively, by recognizing that others have lives that may preoccupy them in ways we don't know, we might come to accept ourselves more and achieve better balance. 9. **It Relies on Moral Intuitions** In presenting his ideas in another work, May notes that he assumes a "broad agreement on certain intuitions about moral rightness and wrongness". This suggests the framework of decency builds upon shared, perhaps inchoate, moral senses that most people already possess. Todd May, known also for his work on death and extinction, and for serving as a philosophical advisor for the television show _The Good Place_, approaches moral philosophy in a way that is described as asking big questions "warmly, thoughtfully, and humanely". This practical and accessible orientation aligns with the project of developing a framework like decency that resonates with the everyday moral lives of non-altruists. In summary, Todd May's decency framework offers a practical, accessible form of morality grounded in the recognition and respect for the fact that others, like ourselves, are living complex lives aimed at meaning and flourishing. It positions itself as a middle ground between moral mediocrity and demanding altruism, providing guidance for people seeking to navigate their daily lives and contribute to a better world within reasonable limits, without getting bogged down in the complexities or demanding standards of traditional ethical theories. It's an invitation to reflect on and extend the moral behavior we already exhibit, rooted in a fundamental acknowledgment of our shared humanity and vulnerability.