Living the Good Life: Virtue in a Vicious Society

The term "virtue" is one that is frequently heard. Some examples include "patience is a virtue", and, an exotic dancer defends Ben Affleck's "virtue". What is the meaning of virtue that used in these colloquial expressions? While the dictionary defines virtue as being moral excellence and righteousness, this definition does not effectively convey the depth of its meaning. Virtuous behavior surpasses simple moral excellence, as morals vary among people, religions, and cultures. All cultures accept that there are behaviors that are acceptable and virtuous, and these behaviors transcend all boundaries of gender, race, and religion.

If virtue is not moral excellence alone, then what is it? With or without being observed, a virtuous person will maintain a demeanor that is both ethical and honorable. When faced with temptation to commit an unscrupulous act or surrendering to an indulgence (such as love for money, food, or sex), a virtuous person would, without hesitation, abstain. As stated by Epictetus, an ancient Greek historian, a virtuous credo is, "what ought not to be done do not even think of doing" ("Virtue and Vice" par. 12). Herein lies the true meaning of virtue; it is decency with the sentiment that the act alone provides deep satisfaction without the need for commendation. In a passage from Book II of Nicomachean Ethics by Greek philosopher Aristotle, he makes a claim in accordance with this definition. He says:

"We must, however, not only describe virtue as a state of character,
but also say what sort of state it is...every virtue or excellence both
brings into good condition the thing of which it is the excellence and
makes the work of that thing be done well; e.g. the excellence of the
eye makes both the eye and its work good..." (McKeon 338).

The point that Aristotle is making is that because the eye demonstrates "excellence", both the eye itself and actions are virtuous. The "excellence" that he is referring to is virtuous behavior. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a 19th century English philosopher, also suggested this when he said "the essence of greatness is the perception that virtue is enough" ("Virtue and Vice" par. 4). The distinction between a person who is virtuous and one who is not is in the behavior he demonstrates.

An example of virtuous behavior is benevolence, which, in this context, is unselfish generosity. The benevolent person is virtuous because he demonstrates decency through helping and expects nothing in return. Contributing to a not-for-profit homeless shelter would be an example of benevolence. These shelters rely on donations and provide food and temporary shelter for a person who may not otherwise have a place to eat or sleep. A virtuous person is also benevolent his time, and gladly devotes time to helping others. He may help a disaster victim in rebuilding his home, or help victims of tragedy, such as those affected a hurricane or other earthquake, by organizing support groups or fundraisers. He would not, however, act blindly in his benevolence. He would not give an amount of money in excess of what is needed, nor would he give money to a homeless person if the money might be spent on drugs or alcohol. Although he recognizes the importance of donating time to a good cause, he would allow himself to be taken for granted by donating more time than what is needed. Making donations of any kind in excess of what is needed is more altruistic than benevolent. While closely related, altruism is not benevolence because it does not allow a person to be concerned with his own needs or interests. An altruist "may do things for the sake of others that aren't truly helpful [such as] a genocidal dictator who claims to act on behalf of the people" ("Notes on..." par. 1). Altruism is not a virtuous behavior because it is more concerned with the act itself rather than the value of the act. It is important to be benevolent, but it is also important to exercise self-restraint and self-control in benevolence, as well as in all areas of life. These are the characteristics of another virtuous behavior.

A virtuous person will not only be benevolent, but will also be temperate. Temperance is the willingness to, without reserve, exercise self-restraint and self-control when faced with temptation. This is a virtuous behavior since it places a limit on the decency a person demonstrates. Temperance guards against crossing the boundary between kindness and altruism. The virtuous person will be willing to give generously, but not willing to give to excess, even though he may want to. He will also refuse to partake in common overindulgences, such as food, alcohol, and sex. The temperance that a virtuous person demonstrates is "the knowledge of the middle way between too much and too little, and the knowledge of one's own measure" (Carroll-Clark par. 27). He recognizes that while he is a valuable person, he is not superhuman, and will not allow other another person to take advantage of his good nature. 17th century French philosopher François duc de la Rochefoucauld made a similar statement when he said that "no man should be praised for his goodness if he lacks the strength to be bad; in such cases goodness is usually only the effect of indolence or impotence of will" ("Virtue and Vice" par. 13). A virtuous person gains the respect and admiration of others through self-control and generosity, but must be careful in taking this admiration to heart, as to avoid egotism.

Although there may be recognition, honor, and prestige earned by being virtuous, a virtuous person will not become egotistical. In addition to being benevolent and temperate, he will also be humble. Humility is a virtuous behavior because the humble person acts with temperance in respect to his ego. This allows him to continue his virtuous behavior toward others without having to overcome egotistical obstacles. The virtuous person does not consider his acts of kindness as being worthy of praise; the satisfaction of his kindness is its own reward. The exception to this is false modesty, which is when a person is not modest, but acts modest in order to improve another person's view of him. In "The Virtues of Ignorance", an article in the Journal of Philosophy (Volume 86, number 7, 1989), the author, Julia Driver, states, "a virtue is a disposition to act in a certain way, and usually not to perform an act merely because it is virtuous. This observation alone should rule out false modesty as a virtue" (qtd. in Crowe-Rothstein par.10). The argument that humility is contrary to virtue is that ignorance cannot coexist with virtue, and that humility is closely related to ignorance by excluding the value of self worth. An argument for humility as a virtuous behavior is that a humble person is not ignorant of his worth. Instead, he recognizes his worth and positive contributions to society but does not expect anything in return. This differs from a person who may appear to be virtuous by demonstrating virtuous behaviors but has an ulterior motive for his kindness.

While it may seem like a Good Samaritan should be considered virtuous, he is not, because in most cases, his acts of kindness are directed by a divine purpose. The mission statement of the Good Samaritan Society states, "The mission of the Society is to share God's love in word and deed by providing shelter and supportive services to older persons and others in need, believing that 'In Christ's Love, Everyone Is Someone.'" ("Good Samaritan Society..." par. 4). A Good Samaritan follows virtuous behaviors; he is eager to help, is unselfish, and acts with regard to morals and values. The kindness of a Good Samaritan does not come directly from the internal desire to commit acts of kindness; it comes from ascribed religious morals and values. The Good Samaritan Society has four hallmark values that its members abide by: "Christ-centeredness, resident-centeredness, staff-centeredness and community-centeredness" Its system of beliefs is grounded firmly in the eternal love of God. (par. 6). In the absence of this religious instruction, or a faltering in his devotion, his capability to demonstrate virtuous behavior may falter. While a Good Samaritan is virtuous in behavior, his internal character is not entirely virtuous and his behavior falls outside of that which is definitively virtuous.

The opposite of virtue is viciousness. A vicious person is one who is obsessed with his own desires and temptations, otherwise known as vices. A vicious person may use another person to get what he wants, and in the process, appear virtuous. The difference between him and a person who is virtuous is the intention behind the behavior. He may donate money to charities, donate time to organizations, abstain from excessive behavior, and act humble (although it is more likely to be false modesty that a vicious person demonstrates than humility). He may also take advantage of another person, putting on a façade of kindness. When the vicious person gets what he wants from the other person, he would then terminate the relationship unless he had something further to gain by continuing the relationship. This includes a common scenario in American society, when a person loves another person and treats them well until he gets what he wants, such as money, status, or sex. While acts of kindness alone give satisfaction to a virtuous person, a vicious person is not satisfied with being good. Instead, he is seeking reward for his behavior, whether it be recognition, rewards (tangible or intangible), or personal achievement, such as a job promotion or another person's affection. There are also extreme instances of vicious behavior that are obviously unrelated to virtuousness. This would include a vicious person with a desire for money who robs a bank. These extreme behaviors do not hide behind the façade of virtue; they stand alone as definitive viciousness.

An English proverb states "Sell not virtue to purchase wealth" ("Virtue and Vice" par. 11). Although vague, this proverb provides an essence for what true virtue is, and opens the door to explore what the proverb may be trying to convey. According to this proverb, a virtuous person cannot relinquish his values for the sake of obtaining wealth of other kinds, nor would he wish to do so. Explored by philosophers, religious devotees, and authors for millennia, virtue is a concept that rises above boundaries of race, gender, and religion. A virtuous person has no reason to sacrifice his values. Through being virtuous, he will feel a more satisfying kind of wealth.

Works Cited
Carroll-Clark, Susan. "The Virtues and Vices in Medieval Society". 20 September 2003.
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Crowe-Rothstein, Megan. "A New Kind of Virtue Based on Ignorance." 20 September
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"Good Samaritan Society: About Us". 23 September 2003.
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McKeon, Richard. Introduction to Aristotle. New York: Random House P. 1947.

"Notes on the Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand". 22 September 2003.
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"Virtue and Vice." Josephson Institute of Ethics. 20 September 2003.
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