I grew up watching television when being a good friend, keeping your word, and treating people with respect were often part of the story. Shows like The Andy Griffith Show, The Facts of Life, and The Golden Girls gave us characters who cared about one another, even when they disagreed, lost their patience, or occasionally behaved like complete idiots.
I've always believed that being a mensch doesn't require grand gestures. Sometimes it's as simple as keeping a promise, apologizing when you're wrong, or knowing when somebody needs a friend instead of another lecture. Of course, television also gave us plenty of characters who couldn't manage even that much. Archie Bunker comes to mind, although I have to give the man credit for providing decades of material on what not to say.
In this section of CouchDegree.com, I revisit television friendships, everyday acts of kindness, questionable manners, and those moments when a character had to choose between doing what was easy and doing what was right. We'll look at loyalty, generosity, honesty, respect, and the little things that reveal a person's character. Because being a decent human being isn't about getting everything right. It's about how we treat people along the way.
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