OUR ETHOS
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A man is both a Smith and a Savage. Civilized and wild, he continually remakes himself in pursuit of balancing his duality.
 
The Smith in us is a creator. He is a maker. He builds and cultivates. He seeks mastery of his crafts and of himself. He is an artist—an optimist—seeking beauty and finding it. The Smith is the craftsman of his own character. He lives the examined life as a continual work in progress. He not only contemplates philosophy, but practices it, understanding that knowledge becomes power only when combined with action. He knows it is only what he does—what he creates—that contributes to the cause.
 
The Savage in us is a warrior. He is passionate and wild. He craves the chase. He loves fiercely. He fights for the greater good and protects what he loves. His obsession with the quest drives him through to the end, beyond all rational hope. When logic says to run and save himself, the Savage stands fast. He bares his teeth, beats the odds, and dances at the victory. He pushes himself to the brink, charging seas and climbing mountains because they are there. The Savage remains untamed. He is free.

 
Beyond his own hero’s journey, a man discovers himself. He finds he is composed of both light and dark. At times he is more Smith, other times more Savage, but always a measure of both. His life’s work is to seek his own virtuous balance and in doing so, he is fortified.  He lives intentionally as the ampersand, seated firmly at the confluence between the two. He grows refined and remains wild. He becomes a dangerous gentleman, a warrior poet, a samurai in a suit and tie.
 
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Be civilized. Stay wild.