What do you all say? — MysticMonist
I would suggest that most people operate off a vague morality formed by a mix of cultural norms and inner conscious. They often don’t reflect very deeply and cultural norms provide inconsistent and conflicting messages. I also think the vast majority of people believe themselves to be moral, despite simultaneously suspecting others of immorality. — MysticMonist
What does being a virtuous person in today’s world really look like? Is Virtue found in most people, most of the time or it is rare and only the product of intense training and self-renunciation? Is human virtue is even possible? — MysticMonist
I also think the vast majority of people believe themselves to be moral, despite simultaneously suspecting others of immorality. An exception to this would be religious guilt or humility where people openly state and perhaps exaggerate their immoral nature. Yet I think being humble and aware of your faults is key to keeping them in check. — MysticMonist
Is it enough to be a loving family member, be honest in your job and obey most of the laws? — MysticMonist
I very much agree with the statement of many believing themselves to be moral, but not truly being so. Humility is a virtue, so those who profess to be very virtuous but remain proud are not virtuous.
Is it enough to be a loving family member, be honest in your job and obey most of the laws? — MysticMonist
No, that will not produce true virtue. It must come from the depth of the soul. — Lone Wolf
What is this virtue you speak of? — T Clark
Empathy makes contentment impossible — Wosret
You can be content some of the time, but not all the time, as life involves personal and vicarious suffering. — Wosret
Empathy makes contentment impossible, for as long as even a single feeling thing remains discontent. You can be content some of the time, but not all the time, as life involves personal and vicarious suffering. — Wosret
I am far from perfect, and I even go further than that and say that no one is even good — Wosret
I just can't be a cynic, and believe that everything ultimately reduces to prudence, or selfish benefits. — Wosret
True virtue is not physical, therefore it cannot be something that you do. Rather, virtuous actions are a result of true virtue.Not only have you set up rigid standards of what people must do to be virtuous, you have set rigid standards about how they must feel inside while they are doing it. You also say that I cannot call myself virtuous without being vain, and thus unvirtuous. So, everyone is either unvirtuous or their virtue is suspect. I say, give people the benefit of the doubt. Judge them by their actions. A truly virtuous person doesn't care what you think anyway. — T Clark
I hope that by desiring Virtue for its own sake (or at least the contentment and self validation it brings) is a sufficient start. I find I have daily failures to be always kind and even tempered (I’ve got two young kids and am perpetually sleep deprived) and to avoid temptations of sloth. I wonder how significant these small short comings are? I suppose they do signal that I’m far from perfected and still have work to do. — MysticMonist
Are we called by God or by reason to be of greater virtue? — MysticMonist
They often don’t reflect very deeply and cultural norms provide inconsistent and conflicting messages. — MysticMonist
I think I’ve solved my quandary with y’all’s help. (Got to love when you can use the 2nd person plural). — MysticMonist
Up north here we say "you guys." — T Clark
s it enough to be a loving family member, be honest in your job and obey most of the laws? In short to not be terrible and ruin it for everyone.
Are we called by God or by reason to be of greater virtue? I think of a Rabbi who once said that monkeys love their mates and their children and are kind to their friends and obey stronger monkeys. But this isn’t virtue. — MysticMonist
If by then I still don’t know what Virtue really is, I’m probably hopeless! — MysticMonist
I think we have an inherent desire to want to be good and be closer to the Divine. Is this still selfish? — MysticMonist
Goodness is genuinely selfless, and not ultimately in your own best interest. — Wosret
Get involved in philosophical discussions about knowledge, truth, language, consciousness, science, politics, religion, logic and mathematics, art, history, and lots more. No ads, no clutter, and very little agreement — just fascinating conversations.