We cannot improve our ethics and morals on our own. I've certainly found that true in my own life. Even when I read or write philosophy, the truth is, I'm only

We cannot improve our ethics and morals on our own. I've certainly found that true in my own life. Even when I read or write philosophy, the truth is, I'm only doing it to feel superior to people: pride and vanity. The only thing that has helped for me was to embrace the one belief system which starts from the axiom that no-one can fix their moral and ethical shortcomings by their own willpower. That belief system is Christianity. It's counter-intuitive and almost paradoxical, but it really does seem like working from the assumption, "Everyone is totally depraved (even the holiest men)", is the only way to make any progress against depravity!