Reputation or Character. Do you agree?

Question

"The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character.

Reputation is what you are supposed to be; character is what you are.

Reputation is the photograph; character is the face.

Reputation comes over one from without; character grows up from within.

Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; character is what you have when you go away.

Your reputation is learned in an hour; your character is built in a lifetime.

Reputation grows like a mushroom; character grows like the oak.

A single newspaper report gives you your reputation, a life of toil gives you your character.

Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; character makes you happy or makes you miserable.

Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone; character is what the angels say about you before the throne of God."
(William Hersey Davis)

So, which one could you choose? Reputation or Character?

Answer 1

I'd surely choose the character! I agree with W. Davis' statements and could add one more:
Don't judge a book by it's cover. The cover is what people say about you (reputation), what's written inside is your real self (character).
"bypass5x" answer explains it perfecly!
Have a blessed weekend, everyone, bye!

Answer 2

Beautiful quote. Obviously, character is the better choice... and reputation flows on from there.

The only use I have for a good reputation is that when people trust me I am more able to help them. To be trust-worthy, one needs honesty and the ability to keep confidences. Perfection is not necessary for the kind of reputation that makes one useful in the community.

I would choose character every time. People can see who you really are, no matter how much you try to hide your skeletons in the closet. At least if you own up to your faults, people know you are honest and willing to improve. What more can anyone ask for?

Answer 3

Character.

Answer 4

I'd have to care what people think to want a reputation and I can't.
Character comes from your true inner beliefs system. Good or bad.
What really matters is the things God sees that no one else even thinks about you.
That time that you spend eye to eye so to speak with God and no where to hide.
Do enough of this and your character will be such that your reputation will be of worth.

Answer 5

Character, because character is who you are and what you do when no one is looking!

Reputation can be totally false...because it is based on opinion of what people see....but what about what they don't see?

Character shows the real person.

Answer 6

Its all about character to me. If you are a person of character, your reputation will take care of itself.

Answer 7

Yes I agree! Nice quotation from William Davis.
I'd chose character, God will hear from the angels about me.

Answer 8

I don't Know speak a good english. Sorry.
But in Bible, King James Version, says:
Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name [ is ] better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

God Bless You

Answer 9

a reputation can be altered from one situation to th enext

character is inherent - whether you choose to be proud or indifferent of that fact, it is within you.

stuff reputation!

hoorah for character!

)o(

Answer 10

I have a reputation for being annoying.... crazy.... and quite heavily antagonistic and antisocial.

By character... well, I honestly don't give a toss one way or another. They just judged me relative to themselves. I don't give a toss about the way they are, so it doesn't really matter.


Choose?
I don't choose anything.
I choose nothing.