Regardless, hopefully the latest edition does better.
"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very
few virtues." - Abraham Lincoln
Whoa?!?! Wait a minute.... having an addicition (or a vice to use 1860's language) is a good thing? It can build character? This is an interesting look at how we fall prey to, repsond to, and use for the negative or the positive our vices, virtues, will-power, self discipline, and within the context of today's consumeristic, me-first, I can have whatever I want when I want mindset and worldview is an important discussion.
So, let's discuss. I am pleading to all of you faithful readers to sound-off and get the conversation started.
4 comments:
Maybe he's talking about the character-building that's required to overcome vices? I mean, someone who has never struggled and overcome doing something wrong probably would give up pretty easily when it comes to doing something right.
That's a great point AtBS. Probably the actual meaning of the quote as well.
But I think it lends itself to the question of vices and if there comes a point where you completely overcome them.
Was Abe insuating that you never overcome addiction, you live a life of struggle constantly overcoming, thus building character.
Sort of the AA approach?
Yeah, but you gotta have some hope, some light at the end of the tunnel to shoot for, don't you? Otherwise, why keep fighting it?
Right, I absolutely agree with you. I think what I am trying to say is, what if the fight never goes away? The alcoholic just wants to taste the sweet honey on his lips one more time, or the workaholic just wants to crank out one more report, or the shopaholic just wants to swipe their card one more time for those shoes? But everyday they say no, everyday they wake up and say "Hi, I'm Brian and I'm an alcoholic."
Does the continued day-to-day struggle build character, or if the struggle never goes away but you continue to fight it and win, do you actually build character?
Should there come a time where you totally fight off the addiction and it no longer becomes a problem and then you've build up the virtue? What exactly is the "light" at the end of the tunnel?
Isn't this an argument used by most of us in society most times? That, the craving, addicition should just disappear never to manifest itself again?
You become "rehabbed"
And then when the rehabbed says hey bro I'm having a really hard time not wanting a beer right now and we are shocked to hear that they have that craving. I thought you wee rehabbed? I thought you didn't want to drink anymore?
Am I way off base?
The idea and study of addiction, vices, virtue, and character is fascinating stuff.
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