Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth writing.”
But how do you write things worth reading in a world where so few people are reading anymore?
Most of what is on the Internet is video and garbage. It’s not worth watching. Yet that’s the medium that we consume.
Perhaps the modern equivalent is to do things worth making a TikTok reel about.
Old Ben must be rolling in his grave.
The system may be wrong, but it often has more power than your individual will.
It doesn’t matter how good the change is you want to make. If the system is set up to prevent it, you’ll fail.
Therefore, you often have to work within the system to get the results you want, even if you don’t like it.
All other virtues depend on courage in their execution.
To some extent, all worthwhile endeavors require going against the status quo or doing something difficult. This requires bravery.
Being a courageous politician sometimes means opposing a tyrannical leader, even if that figure has mass appeal. But doing the right thing requires courage in this case.
Acting justly (i.e., doing the right thing) is often unpopular. (How depressing!)
Persisting in the face of opposition requires courage.
Doing the right thing often requires someone “going first,’ also known as leading! You must be courageous to lead, as you must be willing to fail.
What do you value? And how do you structure your life so that the things you value are apparent?
If you say you value thinking, how do you engage with that value on a daily basis?
If you say you value your health, how does that show up in your day?
Values are developed through action. They requires practice to become part of who you are.
“We become builders by building, and we become harpists by playing the harp. Similarly, then, we become just by doing just actions, temperate by doing temperate actions, brave by doing brave actions.” —Aristotle
Like any craft, virtue must be practiced. You get better at woodworking by doing woodworking. You get better at leadership by leading others.
Virtue is no different: You develop courage by being brave in trying or risky situations. You develop discipline through practicing self-control and keeping promises to yourself. You develop justice by doing the right thing repeatedly, especially when it’s hard (that’s where courage comes in). You develop wisdom through wise decision-making, intentional learning, and self-reflection.
Virtue isn’t something you “have.” It’s a part of you that must be cultivated.
This post is a follow-up to a previous one: What is virtue?
Virtue is moral, physical, and mental excellence.
Most major religions and philosophies recognize four “cardinal” virtues: courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom. Each of these virtues helps us develop the aforementioned excellence.
Why are they called “cardinal?” The word “cardinal” comes from the Latin cardo, which means “hinge,” the things upon which a door pivots.
This is an apt description, as these are the virtues on which a life of excellence pivots.
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