11.25.24

Thought

Aristotle opens with the question: What is it we desire for its own sake, and not as a means to something else?

The beginning of an answer to that question is that the good life is practicing virtue. But the word being translated as “virtue” is arete, which means skill or excellence at something. So you might have the arete required to do crosswords while I might have the arete to catch wasps. Aristotle is asking what the arete to live successfully is. 

The skill of living successfully consists of developing a character that as a habit chooses the right action. The right action, according to Aristotle, is in many instances the mean between two extremes, both of which are defects. Some examples: at one extremity is rashness, and at the other craven cowardice, but somewhere in the middle is courage appropriate to the circumstances and your own limitations. Likewise, at one extremity are vanity, conceit and snobbery, and at the other excessive humility and self-deprecation, the mean is self-respect and in that sense proper pride. Or finally, in a case where one extremity would be giving all you have to the poor, and the other keeping everything you have all the time, the mean would be something like giving a proportion suited to your means.

– John Gaskin, The Travelers Guide to Classical Philosophy  

Quote

Kyle Gray on creating space: 

“Today I make space for miracles. I recognize that it’s not how big a miracle is that’s important but how much room I create for it.”

Moment of Gratitude

I’m grateful for long walks to center and ground myself.

What are you grateful for today? 

Happy Monday,

Val