We believe that saluting people for their great deeds motivates us to emulate such heroism. We take time in our weekly convocations to identify and physically salute those who inspire us. We may salute complete strangers, celebrities, historical figures, those we know intimately, or even fictional characters. By taking the time to express gratitude for the heroism of others, we hope to create more heroism in the world.
Looking at the good
All people do both good and bad things in their lives. Aretéans choose to celebrate the good in humanity; but to find it we must go looking for it! When we do find good in people, we become more hopeful, more joyful, and the positive behaviors we see are more likely to rub off on us.
Saluting specific actions instead of whole lives
We do not salute people for the sum of their lives, because we recognize that all humans are complicated. It is possible that an Aretéan may salute a controversial figure, perhaps one that you do not personally respect. If this occurs, it is important to remember that we are saluting this person only for specific good actions that they have done. Even if it is hard for you, we challenge you to use this as an opportunity to practice looking for the virtuous actions people do!