A principle to keep

It's hard to realize how many principles we keep. We don't attack others for no reason, we don't eat people, we don't steal, etc. However, in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world such as the one in The Road, nearly all of these principles disappear instantly. Some of this is understandable, but there should definitely be a few unspoken rules that remain, at least for most people. For me, I think that the principle of integrity should still reign supreme. Though integrity is defined as "the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness", that's not all it means to have integrity. In my opinion, your morals should remain consistent, like we see with the boy and his father and their refusal to submit to cannibalism. Basically, you shouldn't do anything you wouldn't do before this "event", but this has some exceptions. "Stealing" becomes okay because it doesn't belong to anyone anymore. However, murder is only excused when strictly for self-protection, which is how I felt when the father killed the man who attacked his son. I also think the idea of honesty is really important, and you can see it most clearly in The Road in the father's honesty towards his son, because he tries to explain everything he can. Now, obviously, it would be hard to keep this as a principle. It might even seem dumb, because it is essentially putting you behind others who do not hold the principle. But it is made up for by the fact that to you know you are a good person. If you remain one of the select few "good guys", you have my respect.