How to Be Perfect: A Thoughtful Dive into Moral Philosophy

How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question

By Michael Schur (Read 2026)

I picked up How to Be Perfect on the recommendation of a friend who is a big fan of The Good Place—someone with whom I’ve had more than a few thoughtful conversations about ethics, morality, and how people decide what feels “right.” Reading this book felt like an extension of those conversations: curious, accessible, and grounded in a genuine interest in how we make moral choices.

Michael Schur walks readers through several major schools of moral philosophy, revisiting ethical frameworks many of us may have encountered before. None of the material felt particularly new to me, but I appreciated the opportunity to revisit these ideas and reflect on my own relationship to them—especially how they show up in my decision-making and values. The upbeat, digestible tone made complex ideas feel approachable rather than overwhelming.

The Ethical Frameworks Schur Explores

Virtue Ethics – Who We Are Becoming
Rooted in Aristotle’s work, virtue ethics focuses less on individual actions and more on character. Rather than asking “What’s the right thing to do?” it asks, “What kind of person do I want to be?” Ethics, from this perspective, is about practicing qualities like honesty, courage, and compassion over time until they become part of who we are.

Utilitarianism – Outcomes and Consequences
Utilitarianism evaluates actions based on their results. The morally “right” choice is the one that creates the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Schur uses familiar examples like the trolley problem to show both the appeal and the discomfort of this approach—especially when maximizing overall good conflicts with individual harm.

Deontology – Duty and Rules
Associated most closely with Immanuel Kant, deontology argues that some actions are inherently right or wrong regardless of outcome. This framework emphasizes universal rules and moral duties—asking us to act only in ways we would want everyone else to act. While consistent and principled, it can feel rigid in complex, real-world situations.

Contractualism and Community-Based Ethics
Schur also touches on contractualism, which centers morality on principles that no reasonable person could reject, emphasizing mutual respect and fairness. He pairs this with ideas like ubuntu, a philosophy grounded in interconnectedness and shared humanity—reminding us that ethics isn’t just individual behavior, but how we live together.

Existentialism – Choice and Responsibility
Existentialist ethics emphasize freedom and responsibility. There are no preset moral answers; instead, we create meaning through the choices we make. This framework can feel unsettling, but it invites deep reflection on why we act the way we do and what values we choose to live by.

The Role of Luck: The “God of Luck”

One of the most grounding moments in the book is Schur’s discussion of what he calls the “god of luck.” This concept highlights something moral philosophy often struggles to fully account for: how much of our lives, opportunities, and outcomes are shaped by factors completely outside our control.

Where we are born, the families we grow up in, access to education, health, bodies, resources, and systems—all of these profoundly influence what choices are even available to us. Two people can make similar decisions and end up in radically different places, not because one is more virtuous, but because luck intervened.

This idea introduces an important sense of moral humility. If luck plays a significant role in shaping behavior and outcomes, then judgments about who is “good,” “successful,” or “failing” become far less stable. For me, this section offered a meaningful counterbalance to more rigid moral frameworks and reinforced the importance of compassion, context, and curiosity—especially when thinking about inequality, mental health, and systemic barriers.

A Personal Reflection on Values and Decision-Making

What I appreciated most about this book was the invitation to revisit familiar ideas with fresh eyes. Even when the philosophies weren’t new, the process of reflecting on how each framework resonates—or doesn’t—was valuable. It helped me notice how I tend to reason morally, where I feel tension, and which values consistently guide my decisions.

Rather than offering a single “correct” answer, Schur seems more interested in encouraging thoughtful engagement and humility. Ethics, in this framing, isn’t about perfection—it’s about paying attention, trying to do better, and understanding why we make the choices we do.

Closing Thought

How to Be Perfect isn’t a manual for moral mastery. It’s an approachable, often humorous introduction to big ethical questions that most of us are already wrestling with in daily life. For anyone trying to better understand their internal values, decision-making patterns, or ethical worldview, this book offers a thoughtful place to start.