Temperance is art of moderate pleasure, avoidance of all extremes, especially the use of alcohol.
If I could live one way, it would be this way. Right now I’m only trying. But impulsivity leads me astray.
Does anyone else have this ideal?
I don’t “have” anything. Or maybe I had it for a while, then I didn’t.
Moderation depends upon how much your brain loves your heart. Gotta take it easy…
What’s wrong with extremes?
Eat 8 teaspoons of salt and tell me in the emergency-room what’s wrong with extreme amounts of anything.
Right, and we might consider jumping in front of a moving train an ‘extreme’ action as well. That’s hardly the point.
nothing’s wrong, unless they cause you pain. In a lot cases under doing something to the exteme or over doing it causes discomfort and distress.
I’ll take this example from aristotle. If you dont eat you starve. Extreme. If you eat too much you throw up with a belly ache. Extreme.
exess is bad.
But when it’s just right and that’s true pleasure.
There are positive extremes, that’s my humble point. Moreover, ‘avoidance of all extremes’ is itself a rather extreme position. Ought I avoid ‘extreme pleasure’ or moments of ‘extreme self-awareness’? I think not. Extremes do not have to be about excess - they can be about intensity, rigor and passion as well.
very true.