Or you’re faking it well enough for most, but not all, applications.
The Scout’s Oath is still a very valid guide to character.
I still try to help people. Especially older people and the disabled. Taking five minutes out of my day to help someone makes my entire day.
Trustworthy is very, very important to me. If I agree to do something then I will follow through. I try to be loyal to my friends and family. Support them in any reasonable way.
I matured a lot during my time in the scouts.
I say the only thing on that list that I vehemently disagree with is “cheerful”. It has been my experience that people with cheerful personalities tend to lack compassion for people who don’t have a reason to be chipper or who just don’t have that kind of personality. Also, cheerful people tend to avoid talking about negative things even when those things are important and not insurmountable. Personally, I value people who accept that negative emotions are totally acceptable and healthy to express in moderation. When I hear someone described as “cheerful”, I envision someone will lecture me if I dare to utter a single sentiment that isn’t “cheerful”.
“Friendly” is another one I don’t put a lot of value in. I don’t want to hang out with a misanthrope, but I don’t think the number of friends a person has tell you anything about a person–especially in this day and age where making friends is as easy as following them on social media. Sometimes the person who tends to rub people the wrong way is the one everyone should be listening to, since they exist outside the echo chamber and they may be able to see the problems and/or solutions that everyone is too afraid to talk about.
“Reverent” is another “meh” for me. “Respectful”, yes, but it seems like that is covered by “courteous” and “kind”. Like “cheerful” people, it has been my experience that “reverent” people are kind of annoying, bordering on superstitious.
Many of those traits speak to “agreeableness”, one of the five traits of personality. Not surprisingly, people with agreeable personalities tend to be more likeable than folks with disagreeable personalities. But there are downsides.
I do care about the basic decency of my leaders, but I don’t know if the Scout Law sums up everything I look for. The one thing I know I value most in people is compassion, which isn’t in that list. Another one I value is depth. Deep people not only appreciate nuances, they seek them out. So when I evaluate someone as a political candidate, I look at their life story. If their life story indicates that they probably have developed a healthy dose of compassion and depth through the years, then I don’t know if I care all that much in their gruffness, irreverance, or lack of cleaniness. Any weasel can say the right things. They also know how to take baths.