The Virtues Revisited.

my very odd view

“They constantly try to escape
From the darkness outside and within
By dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good.
But the man that is will shadow
The man that pretends to be.”

― T.S. Eliot, The Rock

I have, for most of my life, considered the 4, as basically a palate cleanser, between grossly different religions. They seemed to me to be a way to separate, the valor and virtues of the narrative heroes that inspired humanity for aeons, from the character of those people, at least in the minds of the public. As if virtue could, exist outside a human life and perspective. It is a very disjointed way of considering things, but as i said, it was a crucial historical transition, that was forced on people. If you can find and older native american, they will tell you exactly how that feels. The 4 cardinal virtues are spiritual growth put into action. I had not realized how unusual and practical my take on them was, until i looked into it recently. The absence of these virtues shows weak character, as in, no effort at all put into your own growth, as a human being. But what would an ancient person have thought of them?

Surely an embodied form of these virtues would be more instructive? The temptation to embody them illustrates this basic human impulse. And Attitudinal courage, the highest form surely, needs a narrative to do it justice. Above, Courage is called ‘fortitude’ , but that word is so archaic that i will use courage here. There many kinds of courage. We start with Courage because we must, as you will see.

“Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.”

— Heraclitus

 (?)

“Then out spake brave Horatius,
The Captain of the gate:
‘To every man upon this earth
Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his Gods,—

Thomas Babington Macaulay

Horatius.

Deep within the self, or consciousness, every moment of every day, we have to make a choice. In modern times this choice is probably very much more difficult that it was, in times when life was simpler. The choice is between reality and fantasy.

The courage to accept what IS. As young children find refuge from hardships in it, in fantasy, along with denial, it is also a tool used by people such as myself, yet it is fraught with danger. Fantasy is a temptation from which we can never escape. Always, it is Far More Appealing that reality. Reality pushes back. In modern times rose colored glasses are at out fingertips always, relentlessly. Various Isms, and Ideological trappings of dazzling complexity to color your world in any way you desire. Words themselves are used to cast spells of alarming power. Empires have fallen, humanity been erased. You may doubt that magic exists, but oho! Ye are the very most vulnerable to it. The Inmost Courage to see what IS, and not what you Wish was, is, the only tool that will defend you from it. And no one says a dang thing about it in any religion. Unless you find a Gandalf to look after you. A fairy godmother, perhaps. All books are magical tomes, no exceptions. I put this courage in the lead, because without it you have no truth, and without truth, you have delusion, which is worse than nothing.

• Inmost Courage

• The Courage of action in the face of fear

• The Courage of the heart (love crates courage)

• The Courage of Holding to Your truth against pressure of other people.

• The Courage of letting go of the familiar into the unknown

• The Courage to face certain suffering even death.

• Attitudinal Courage, when absolutely everything is hopeless, and you know you will fail and die, but you give it your all anyway. Glorious even to fail. poems and songs stuff.

  

Sadly, this separated Prudence from it’s very essence. The affirmation of life. This is the goal of every decision is it not? For this we must observe how life functions, so we can affirm it.

Observation one, Life is an ever burning fire, so we must feed that fire. Existence demands you must give back to existence so it can continue giving its gift to others. If you do not, it cannot. Death is certain, existence is done against incomprehensible odds. Existence was not certain, for you, but you got the gift. Pain is part of existence. It is there to help you grow. Where you crack is where the light shines through.

The second thing we know is that we have consciousness. If we are conscious everything else might be too, after it’s own fashion. I have experienced plant and mushroom, even soil consciousness. Either it all is, or none of it. Consciousness just does not spring ready made out of dead matter. That is a delusional assumption.

Third thing i observe, nothing is a blank slate. The acorn IS an ancient Oak. With all the wisdom its ancestors sent it, likewise so are we. I pay my respects to them now.

Dear ancestors, known and unknown. You live in me. I call your gifts my own. I thank you for them, for my life was made the easier. I rejoice in your lives and would learn every story. Set it in song, in the stars! forever your glory. I weep for your hardships, I am glad for your friendships. I am blessed with your blood we cannot part. I hear your songs, feel your beating heart. May i make you proud, and meet you all, may our line never fail.

So, Now, we come back to what is Prudence. Making sure each decision affirms life.

Treasure the Joy of living, and do not sully ourselves by self deceit or being needlessly cruel. If we all did this, we could have a high trust society. High trust = Liberty. Low trust = Tyranny.

Temperance. This word has been so abused and used that i think many have no idea what it means. I just have no suitable replacement in a single word, or i would use it. Appropriate action and emotional control for every situation in context. Mental, emotional, and intelligent discipline and balance. Defense against that tempting sense of entitlement of possessions or power that consume the weak minded. Defense against the distractions in life that consume life without giving life in return. I would call them death affirming diversions. Time wasters. The mind is like steel and must be tempered by labor. Repeated testing against reality as we find it in the natural world. Outside. Pain is part of life, but, you can choose the pain. Self discipline is one kind of pain. The results of a lack of self discipline is much worse pain and causes the suffering of those you love as well.

Justice and mercy are on a spectrum, your ability to temper yourself will be shown, if you find the correct balance for that moment and person. The high of entitlement nor the low of Toxic unearned shame is correct. Extremes are not helpful and most often lead to needless suffering, and injustice of all kinds. These are life tests you can either pass or fail. I believe it is recorded somewhere how well we do. Overreaction is unbecoming as well as incorrect as under reaction might be. Clinging to comfort or elation is intemperate. Pettiness and anger for things not even related to you is intemperate. I find this one difficult. It is a high goal. Patience is included here, and many people over do this, to compensate for their real impulses.

• Judgement. There are 2 judges that i know of, in my family. So Honor is a big deal here and don’t i know it. You must not make a judgement before enough information has been gathered and assessed. There are no contradictions in nature, only paradoxes. They must be rooted out, every one, withing the self first, then without. History is essential here to study. Every living thing has to make judgements about every situation every moment. I have been told to” judge not lest ye be judged” . Nope. I am in charge and i suffer or benefit from my every decision and action so, my discernment and my judgement will indeed be used, and of great use to me. If i learn to use it correctly. In order to make a Good , a GOOD judgement, you need a few very practical things first.

• Historical context (legal and otherwise).

• Situational context (was someone ill or lost).

• Relationships of the characters involved and their motives.

• Trustworthy witnesses.

• Concrete evidences.

• A true grasp of what exactly is at stake. (what is important, a child’s well being, a community security issue, the core of the conflict)

• Honorable intent for the good of all.

• Willingness to take responsibility for your judgements and their after effects.

  

I must add this too. The ability to witness vitriol. Many humans do not process emotions well. witnessing powerful emotions without being UN-moored, is something you learn over time. some never. Then, and only then can superior judgements be made. In the process, the witnessed can also be healed sometimes. Even whole communities. For more information about how the virtues can be part of a meaningful life,