1. Why should one be virtuous
Without a moral campus, there is no reason why one should not become immoral. Indeed, with the rejection of morality, it should be said and allowed for all of us to drift towards immorality.
States create legislation, and areas of learning draft up rules and regulations for the students they lead. The following of rules ensures order, and the adherence to legislation leads to peace. Imagine if those who draft such legislation, do so only for those they lead, excluding themselves and whomever they feel is worthy of such exclusions. Is it just, for a government or a judge, to say, "Do as I say, not as I do!", and how long before injustice builds up in the led, and a revolt soon occurs?
Is it just then? But how do we know what is just? How do we quantify it? Is it true then, that all governments and all learning institutions universally know and understand what justice is, and that in the drafting of legislation, the good of themselves and the people they lead is always a crucial starting point? What of governments and institutions that borrow their morality from the Shia law, or from progressive morality or from the numerous ever evolving communist manifestos? Is it just when, for example, a common thief’s arm is cut off but an adulterous official is shielded from the same inquisitive punishments? No, it can not, therefore, be called just.
2. Hunger for justice
So where does the hunger for justice arise, and why is it common for leaders to deny it to those they lead? To go back to the main question, on why it is important for one to be virtuous, many of these factors are beyond one’s control. One can not, for example, ensure that one’s leaders shall administer justice throughout the land. One can not control whether one’s neighbours and friends will be just to one, or kind, or loving or forgiving. These are matters beyond one’s control. However, one is in control of their own actions and the repercussions that follow. Aristotle states that the difference between man and animals, is the fact that their is reason behind each action and inaction that flows from man.
In understanding the limitations placed upon human free will, one should turn their efforts and attention inwards rather than out. One should focus on one’s actions, the effect they have on others, and the state of one’s soul immediately after. In accordance with Aristotle, a good person is pleased with virtue and with virtuous acts. As a corrupt politician is not pleased with a righteous other, nor a perverted government pleased with an outspoken opposition, so too is a bad person displeased with justice and virtue in society and is pleased, rather, in injustice and immorality.
3. Why be virtuous
It becomes, therefore, imperative that one should aspire to be virtuous. First, because it acts as food for the soul. A healthy soul is nourished and fulfilled through acts of virtue. And so one should aim to have their soul full, for an empty soul is a dire soul, and one more willing to partake in acts of immorality; such as injustice, domestic violence, assault, burglary and murder.
Second, virtuous acts ensure that one becomes good and useful in one’s society. For one can be good and useless or bad and yet useful, though, whichever society accepts either can not refer to itself as a good society. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be argued that one’s character does not matter, only the working of their hands. If that were the case, then great dictators who improved the status of their countries, at the expense of the shedding of millions of lives, would be excused. And being good but useless, one is therefore unable to exact their goodness into an imperfect society. Neither the former nor the latter should be advocated for.
4. What should one aspire for
Rather, one should aspire to be good to themselves, for they are the first person they come into contact with at birth, before being presented to the rest of us. It can be argued that if one can not be virtuous to oneself, one can not be virtuous to others. And that if one did, one would fall into the category of good but useless. For one to be truly virtuous, one must exercise goodness, kindness, love and justice within oneself while simultaneously being virtuous to others. That, then, would lead one to become good and useful in society, which is true virtue.
Through an expression of true virtue, one becomes better for themselves and for others. And the more truly virtuous people in a society, the better that society becomes. Less corrupt politicians, less perverted leaders, more just systems, less crime, more definitions of clearly good and clearly bad soon emerge within a society filled with truly virtuous people. And, as a bad society negatively influences others, such as the prevalence of communist nations to execute and lead to the deaths many of their citizens, a good society positively influences others, as the Roman system of democratic governance is still prevalent in the working of many governments today.
5. Conclusion
In this essay, it describes the reason one should be virtuous, the benefits of virtue within one and in the state, and why all people should aspire towards the expression of true virtue and what it is. It is imperative for all of us to adhere to morality and virtue, for the reverse is immorality and widespread injustice within us and in society.
@Ronald Tukesiga
