Aristotle forces his readers to think deeply on their personal values when he discusses virtues and happiness. According to Aristotle, there is some common good and it, "...has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim (Aristotle 694)." He further goes on to say that this great good that all things aim for is happiness; once it has been reached, there is no other end to be acquired. Despite the fact that all people strive for happiness, there are many different views on happiness among men. Many people believe that Hedonism and earthly pleasure are the keys to happiness. Others, like politicians, believe that honor is the source of true happiness. A more select and contemplative few believe that happiness is achieved through virtuous acts. Aristotle believes that there must be a balance in all of these to reach happiness.
I personally agree with Aristotle's philosophy of balance. In order to reach true happiness, people must accept and enjoy what worldly pleasures they have been given as well as live with a sense of honor. However, without virtue, pleasure and honor can cloud ones vision. If a person spends too much time enjoying life through material possession and pleasure, they will miss the opportunity to explore their capabilities as a human rather than an animal. If a person spends their life focused on maintaining their own honor, they may behave wrongly in order to please the wrong people or behave recklessly in order to appear brave. Therefore, these must be kept in check by virtuous acts. Having grown up Catholic, I firmly believe that virtue and kindness play a very important role in a person's happiness. However, as a realist, I also believe that these cannot stand alone. This being said, all people think and act differently by nature. Because of this, it is important that people experience and investigate many possible means of happiness in order to understand what they believe, and what makes them happy.
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