The Five Great Philosophies of LifeHyde, William De Witt
Philosophy
The Five Great Philosophies of Life
Hyde, William De Witt
Ethics; Philosophy, Ancient
"Bounding out of bed after an unbroken sleep, singing or whistling as he
dresses, coming down with beaming face ready to laugh on the smallest
provocation, the healthy man of high powers, conscious of past successes
and, by his energy, quickness, resource, made confident of the future,
enters on the day's business not with repugnance but with gladness; and
from hour to hour experiencing satisfactions from work effectually done,
comes home with an abundant surplus of energy remaining for hours of
relaxation. Far otherwise is it with one who is enfeebled by great
neglect of self. Already deficient, his energies are made more deficient
by constant endeavours to execute tasks that prove beyond his strength,
and by the resulting discouragement. Hours of leisure which, rightly
passed, bring pleasures that raise the tide of life and renew the powers
of work, cannot be utilized: there is not vigour enough for enjoyments
involving action, and lack of spirits prevents passive enjoyments from
being entered upon with zest. In brief, life becomes a burden. Now if,
as must be admitted, in a community composed of individuals like the
first the happiness will be relatively great, while in one composed of
individuals like the last there will be relatively little happiness, or
rather much misery; it must be admitted that conduct causing the one
result is good and conduct causing the other is bad.
"He who carries self-regard far enough to keep himself in good health
and high spirits, in the first place thereby becomes an immediate source
of happiness to those around, and in the second place maintains the
ability to increase their happiness by altruistic actions. But one whose
bodily vigour and mental health are undermined by self-sacrifice carried
too far, in the first place becomes to those around a cause of
depression, and in the second place renders himself incapable, or less
capable, of actively furthering their welfare.
"Full of vivacity, the one is ever welcome. For his wife he has smiles
and jocose speeches; for his children stores of fun and play; for his
friends pleasant talk interspersed with the sallies of wit that come
from buoyancy. Contrariwise, the other is shunned. The irritability
resulting now from ailments, now from failures caused by feebleness,
his family has daily to bear. Lacking adequate energy for joining in
them, he has at best but a tepid interest in the amusements of his
children; and he is called a wet blanket by his friends. Little account
as our ethical reasonings take note of it, yet is the fact obvious that
since happiness and misery are infectious, such regard for self as
conduces to health and high spirits is a benefaction to others, and such
disregard of self as brings on suffering, bodily or mental, is a
malefaction to others.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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