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I'm just going to talk about something semi-related since the article is trash. This is all anecdotal btw. The concept of virtue. I find that people who are rel

by notus 7y ago

I'm just going to talk about something semi-related since the article is trash. This is all anecdotal btw. The concept of virtue. I find that people who are religious talk about virtue more than those who don't. I'm not saying that they are virtuous, just that they seem to think/talk about it more. I see certain virtues on the rise like frugalness, humanity, wholesomeness, but then there are others I see on a decline like gravity, dutifulness, prudence, self-control, and not being petty (there is another word for this but I forgot). Any thoughts on the matter? Am I just biased and not seeing the whole picture? I feel like people are really petty in general and growing drug use and obesity problems demonstrate a lack of self control. Whenever I broach the subject with people I find that many people do not think of morality in terms of a list of virtues to abide by. That isn't saying they are not virtuous, they just don't think about morality that way. I historically haven't either, but I find it easier when I have something concrete to refer to when I'm thinking about decisions or how best to accomplish a task.

benjohnson 7y ago
>> I find that people who are religious talk about virtue more than those who don't There's a lot of practical stored up value in the religion that I practice - listening to the wisdom of generations of people certainly helps with discerning how it live well in the short time we have here on this earth. While I have no doubt that a sensitive and intelligent person could figure most of this out for themselves, it would take them most of their lives - and I suspect that by then their life would be too spent to be able enjoy the fruits of their labor.
- notus 7y ago
  I think the ancients had it figured out more or less. The 12 roman virtues and classical stoicism are still very applicable today. What religion do you practice?
AnimalMuppet 7y ago
It seems to me that the nonreligious have somewhat the same idea of virtue. They just have different applications of the same virtues. They both think that non-judgmentalism is a virtue. (So should a Christian - "Judge not, lest you also be judged".) They both do judge things that they consider overtly wrong, though. Some Christians consider certain sexual practices wrong; some atheists consider less than full acceptance of gay marriage to be wrong (and judge people for it). They both think that self-restraint is a virtue. Some Christians think that in terms of not sleeping with everyone you're attracted to; some atheists think that in terms of consuming less to lower your carbon footprint. The atheists are still thinking in terms of virtues, and of morals, even if they don't use those words. They even think that some of the same things are virtues. They just think they should be lived out in dramatically different ways.

by notus 7y ago

benjohnson 7y ago

>> I find that people who are religious talk about virtue more than those who don't There's a lot of practical stored up value in the religion that I practice - listening to the wisdom of generations of people certainly helps with discerning how it live well in the short time we have here on this earth. While I have no doubt that a sensitive and intelligent person could figure most of this out for themselves, it would take them most of their lives - and I suspect that by then their life would be too spent to be able enjoy the fruits of their labor.

notus 7y ago
I think the ancients had it figured out more or less. The 12 roman virtues and classical stoicism are still very applicable today. What religion do you practice?

AnimalMuppet 7y ago

It seems to me that the nonreligious have somewhat the same idea of virtue. They just have different applications of the same virtues. They both think that non-judgmentalism is a virtue. (So should a Christian - "Judge not, lest you also be judged".) They both do judge things that they consider overtly wrong, though. Some Christians consider certain sexual practices wrong; some atheists consider less than full acceptance of gay marriage to be wrong (and judge people for it). They both think that self-restraint is a virtue. Some Christians think that in terms of not sleeping with everyone you're attracted to; some atheists think that in terms of consuming less to lower your carbon footprint. The atheists are still thinking in terms of virtues, and of morals, even if they don't use those words. They even think that some of the same things are virtues. They just think they should be lived out in dramatically different ways.