The Leather Apron Club

Purpose

The Leather Apron Club exists to help its members discover what is true, improve their judgment and conduct, and become genuinely useful to one another.

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Core Principles

Truth as the governing discipline

The pursuit of truth is the Club’s governing discipline. Through honest, good-faith, and humble inquiry, we seek to improve our understanding, judgment, ability to think, and capacity for honorable action.

Deliberate self-improvement

Members aspire both to worldly success and to human flourishing. We aim to succeed in our work and ventures while cultivating the mind, body, character, and judgment needed to live wisely, virtuously, and happily.

Active curiosity

Members bring genuine questions, pursue them seriously, and share what they discover.

Reciprocal usefulness

Members take one another’s ambitions and difficulties seriously. We contribute candid advice, knowledge, introductions, encouragement, and practical assistance, joining to give as well as to benefit.

Candid disagreement

We disagree in pursuit of greater understanding, never humiliation or victory. No status is gained by proving another member wrong, and no status is lost by changing one’s mind.

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Understanding in service of action

What we learn should shape how we live and what we undertake. It should improve our decisions and conduct, advance worthwhile projects, and enable members to begin new ventures or create useful institutions together.

Membership

Membership is for people with a genuine desire to improve their lives, judgment, and abilities. Members are chosen for curiosity, intellectual honesty, initiative, reliability, reciprocity, and the ability to disagree constructively.