JUST DEFINITION:having a strong sense of fairness CATEGORIES:identity, interactive, moral SIMILAR ATTRIBUTES:fair-minded POSSIBLE CAUSES: Having strong beliefs about right and wrong Being a victim of unfairness growing up (having parents who favored a sibling over oneself) Being a victim of prejudice or unjust treatment Espousing a religion that focuses on right vs. wrong Growing up in an environment where fairness was emphasized ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS: Rejecting unfair or biased advantages Sharing Showing respect for others Believing that the law should apply to everyone Rejecting caste systems and ideals that promote inequality Following the rules Respecting boundaries that reinforce good relationships and fairness Being confrontational when an injustice has occurred Altruism Showing disdain for cheating or short cuts Thinking objectively Thinking before acting Doing the right thing even if it isn’t popular Behaving ethically Treating people the same, regardless of age, sex, or race Demanding justice where it’s lacking Refusing to gossip about others Being empathetic Not asking others to do something one would not do oneself Not taking advantage of loopholes or omissions Having strong leadership capabilities Choosing what’s right rather than what’s easy Feeling terrible when one makes a mistake Understanding all the facts before offering judgment Being an agent for change (joining a board, running for office, etc.) Standing up for the vulnerable Judging people by how they treat others Identifying with victims and working to bring about justice Not wanting to hear excuses for bad behavior Expecting to pay for services and be paid for one’s service to others Keeping one’s word Becoming emotional (grief-stricken, enraged, etc.) when an injustice is discovered Calling people out for perceived dishonesty Striving to prove someone wrong if doing so will bring inequality to light Becoming obsessed with righting a wrong ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS: I told the kids they couldn’t have more cookies, so I guess I shouldn’t eat more either. Ben has worked here the longest. If anyone deserves a raise, it’s him. Poor Jerry. His brothers treat him terribly and his parents don’t notice. It isn’t right. I have no problem taking the weekend off. I worked the last three, after all. ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:agitation, contempt, determination POSITIVE ASPECTS:Just characters view the world in black and white and long for wrongs to be righted. Fair-minded, they rail against injustice and are quick to stand up for the oppressed. They aren’t afraid to do the right thing, even when their convictions bring them into conflict with powerful or influential people. Because their beliefs are often challenged by those in opposition, just characters are usually well-spoken and are able to intelligently defend their point of view. NEGATIVE ASPECTS:It’s easy for just characters to seem removed emotionally from the events around them. They can easily slip into judgmental thinking and turn vigilante in their desire for justice. If they believe that the rules have ceased to promote fairness for all, they may break them, ironically contributing to the inequality. If just characters accept misinformation for truth, flawed thinking may lead them to believe that they’re balancing the scales when in reality they are creating more turmoil or harm. EXAMPLE FROM LITERATURE:The government of Robin Hood’s time is greedy and cruel, requiring poverty-inducing taxes from its constituents in order to line its own pockets. When Robin runs afoul of this system and experiences its coldheartedness firsthand, he gathers a band of like-minded men and sets about robbing corrupt royalty as they pass through Sherwood Forest. He then redistributes the wealth to the country’s poor, giving it back, in essence, to its original owners.Other Examples from Literature and Film:Paul Edgecombe (The Green Mile), Superman, Batman TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:gentle, greedy, hostile, irrational, obsessive, rebellious, reckless, unintelligent, weak-willed CHALLENGING SCENARIOS FOR THE JUST CHARACTER: PLOTLINE: Discovering that a relative has committed a crime PLOTLINE: Catching a mentor or trusted friend in a lie PLOTLINE: Learning that a loved one has broken the law, but with pure motivations PLOTLINE: Unwittingly breaking the law and having to face the consequences PLOTLINE: Facing a situation where what is fair opposes what one believes to be right