“All the gold that is under or on the earth is not enough to give in exchange for virtue.” (Plato, philosophize)
The idea of virtue can be a bit scary. Surely no one can be such a worthy human being as to do nothing wrong, show courage at all times, and be full of generosity and kindness to everyone. Doing good all the time doesn’t feel like the real me. I suspect that few people feel like they are born that way and I certainly don’t. And what is virtue anyway? Do we have to be that extremely good to show virtue? Isn’t this an excessive expectation?
Virtue in contemporary spirituality
Modern spiritual writers are interested in universal ideas common to different traditions. For example, Roger Walsh encourages the reader to recognize and cultivate higher values. Some examples are justice, altruism, beauty, sacred and comprehensive truth.
Walsh contrasts them with lower values such as money, possessions, bodily pleasure, power, and fame. Find virtue in the highest values. On the contrary, he says that neglecting spiritual principles and focusing on lower values can result in a lack of well-being. You are more likely to suffer from boredom, craving, cynicism, alienation, stress, and meaninglessness in your life when you prioritize lower values unrelated to virtue.
Virtue as understood in ancient Greece
The way the ancient Greeks thought about virtue is relevant. Plato thought that virtue is associated with being wise.
Similarly, Aristotle wrote that virtue is excellence in the human being and therefore implies understanding what is right for the situation.
“At the right times, about the right things, towards the right people, for the right end and in the right way, it is the intermediate and best condition, and this is proper to virtue.” (Aristotle, philosophizing)
In other words, virtue is taking into account rational considerations when it comes to being brave, generous or kind depending on the circumstances. I think Aristotle is saying that doing what is good and worthy does not necessarily mean behaving excessively.
“Accuracy and neatness in moderation is a virtue, but taken to extremes it narrows the mind.” (Francois Fenelon)
Therefore, it could be said that virtue works between two extremes from a rational point of view.
For example, courage is a virtue that falls between cowardice and recklessness. You can foolishly waste your life if you do something thoughtlessly beyond your ability.
Generosity is somewhere between greed and reckless waste of money. You may recklessly neglect your own needs and those of your own family if you are overly generous.
I see the goodness between indifference and doing too much. Fixing things by solving problems does not allow children to learn things on their own. Doing too much for the elderly can foster unnecessary dependency.
There is no virtue in taking things too far without thoughtlessly considering the consequences of what you do.
Virtue in the tradition of the Western world and the Middle East
The ten commandments are less known these days and are often considered old. However, some of them are the basis of our criminal law. We may want to update our knowledge of them. If we look for a spirit of virtue within them, do these rules also require wisdom for their practice?
Arguably, the command “Do not kill” says not to become hateful or violent. Perhaps the spirit behind this urges us to improve life by nurturing, protecting, showing kindness, and being helpful. However, is it going too far to never get angry even when that answer is justified?
The command not to bear false witness is about not telling lies. A deeper understanding of this could be being honest with others and with yourself. Also keeping promises and living with integrity. But could one take this order to the extreme recklessly? For example, being overly honest, tactlessly pointing out negative things to others at the wrong time, or reflecting on one’s own trivial mistakes.
There is a command not to commit adultery. Doesn’t the spirit of this law have to do with fostering the family bond by being loyal to the couple and not acting seductively towards others? Taken to extremes, one condemns and avoids all expressions of sexuality in the arts or in normal contexts of leisure.
In effect, a “Do Not Steal” order tells us to respect the property and ideas of others and to give credit for them. More extreme than this would be to maintain honest respectability with false modesty about one’s own law-abiding citizenship.
“Hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue.” (Grover Norquist)
In other words, the good of these rules can be distorted due to lack of wisdom in their application.
Wisdom and virtue
A distinction can be drawn between what is naturally and spiritually good. With the first there is no truth of wisdom.
“People … whose good is merely natural can be carried away by falsehood as easily as by truth, provided that in outward appearance the falsehood resembles the truth. They can also be as easily led by evil as by the truth. good, whenever evil is presented as good. They are like feathers in the wind. “ (Emanuel Swedenborg, spiritual philosopher)
In other words, true virtue is a developed character quality rather than the impulse of one’s natural disposition. It is a rock facing the winds of life.
Naturally, we may not have many virtues: forgiveness, kindness, courage, humor, generosity, humility, joy, or honesty. However, I conclude that doing good in a smart way leads to a feeling of well-being and feeling energized for life. I would say that virtue is achievable, as long as you seek the wisdom of rational thought necessary to make use of good inclinations.
