One of the opening statements in The Emperor's Club is that "a man's character is his fate," a quote from Heraclitus. This idea is borne out by the end of the movie in the three main characters. One acts without character and without remorse; one acts against his character, but justifies the action by thinking it is for the good; one acts with character despite being wronged by the other two.
The question is: can we change our character? The movie and Heraclitus seem to suggest that we cannot, but of course we can. "That's just the way I am" isn't the way we just have to be. It is simply – not easily, but simply – a matter of correct thinking, making correct decisions, forming correct habits, every time. As Jim Rohn said, "You cannot change the seasons, but you can change yourself."
More on The Emperor’s Club later. It is an excellent and provocative movie.
