Brilliant article! I could not agree more. Everything is getting too much these days and I feel I'm getting desensitized. The pleasure is so much more when you experience it in moderation.
Corey
· 1 year ago
The fine art of learning how to be present. Moderation is KEY. The nice thing about learning to be present in marriage, everything feels better. At least if you are willing to address the issue surrounding why you have not been present. Typically it seems we will speed up when we have something to avoid or are lost. Slow down and address life, you'll get more out of it.
Great post Brett.
George
· 1 year ago
That was absolutely fantastic. It is so hard in modern society to slow down. I am going to pass this along to my wife, because your post comes at a very busy time for us.
Tibi Puiu
· 1 year ago
Wow! Great article, Brett. There's an old saying in my native tongue, which I'll try to translate: "what's too much, rottens; what's too little, doesn't suffice." Finding the middle path between the two is essential to living a healthy and balanced life. Thank for this this. Regards,
-Tibi
Michael Gowin
· 1 year ago
Nice one, Brett.
The Japanese concept hara hachi bu (mentioned in Garr Reynolds' book Presentation Zen) means "eat until 80% full." This idea is easily applied in other areas of life and I use it often to remind myself that moderation is a good thing.
Nate
· 1 year ago
I think it is funny how you mentioned Ice Cream. I don't eat ice cream very much, mostly because I don't like it. However, there is one flavor, and one flavor only, that I truly crave, and that is Mackinac Island Fudge Ice Cream. Now, living in Alabama, obviously I can not easily attain this delicacy, and I don't try. The ONLY time I ever have the ice cream, is when I am up at my grandfather's cottage on Bois Blanc Island, and I only am able to go about 1 week a year. That one week, however, I partake in the BEST tasting ice cream on the planet, and I sure enjoy every minute of it.
@Michael, love that concept of hara hachi bu. The Bible is full of admonitions regarding temperance and moderation. Some are:
Proverbs 20, 1 Ephesians 5, 18 Proverbs 23:29-35 Titus 2:7 and many others
My personal favorite on this regard comes on Proverbs 23:20-21:
Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.
Many blessings to all and keep up the excellent posts,
Thanks for the kind words everybody. I also want to give credit to my wife. She helps me write all the posts, and she deserves equal props.
@Geoff-Actually, when I first started writing this post, I was centering it on Aristotle's philosophy of the mean. But it just wasn't coming together like I wanted it to. So I ended up going in a different direction. But Aristotle's thoughts are definitely worth pondering when it comes to the virtue of moderation.
Andrew is getting fit
· 1 year ago
Moderation in all things is the key to happiness and health I've found.
Rodney Hampton
· 1 year ago
Perfect article. I'd say you nailed it with this one Mr. and Mrs. McKay.
Gary Slaughter
· 1 year ago
A lot of the virtues are inter-connected. Moderation goes hand-in-hand with patience. Ever catch yourself tapping your foot impatiently while standing in front of the microwave, or expecting the elevator door to open immediately after pushing the button? I have.
I even saw a tax return ad touting the Rapid Refund one year on TV. A guy was waiting by the mailbox day after day while the mail truck sped past while the voice-over said, "The old way requires patience." As if that were a bad thing.
We are overstimulated, and too many people seem to expect to be entertained every waking moment. I once asked someone who had to have the radio on all the time, "Are you that afraid to be alone with your thoughts?"
Moderation is key. Sometimes I prefer to be in the moment and use a broom to clear leaves instead of a blower, or an edger that's powered only by my arms instead of electricity.
stevos
· 1 year ago
Recently I was out with a friend, and there was a couple at the next table. The Guy was with this beautiful women and yet he spent all his time on his cell phone ignoring her, I felt sad for her. We truly do need to take pause and live more in the moment. I do not think moderation is the 'Key' to happiness as Epicurus' philosophy would propose, but it is a start to discover the greater source of fullness of life. It is interesting to note that among the great religions and spiritualities there has always been times of purification, fasting and abstaining from regular delights of the world, that one may focus on the inner spiritual reality of man. Many people who live in extremes lack meaning in their life, they grasp at any experience that makes them feel alive, any thing to get that adrenaline rush; this can lead to destructive behavior leaving one sad and despairing.
Jordan
· 1 year ago
I would add the small addendum: "Moderation in all things, including moderation". Even moderation can be taken to excess.
Wrathbone
· 1 year ago
I found myself thinking while reading this, and just remembered something. I too am guilty of overstimulating my audial and visual senses. The other day I was folding my laundry, and had Youtube on. I started cooking dinner, I had the TV on. Whenever I leave the house without my Ipod, I feel just a tad bit naked. (Although in defense of that, the rare occasion I do drive without music on always seems to be the day that the car with the annoyingly-loud bass system keeps pace with me all the way to my destination.)
Greg
· 1 year ago
This is why I don't like MMA and UFC. Can you say modern day blood sport.
C.W.
· 11 months ago
Just wondering if I may reposted this article, all credits given where due, on my own blog? I'm a woman and I keep finding so many great articles from Art of Manliness coming up in Google searches and such ... shame there's so many websites for women that don't boil down to the basics of being a good person and living a fulfilling life. (Most women-oriented sites, in my opinion, focus heavily on sex, weight loss, fashion, and many materialistic things ... female morals don't really exist on-line unless its on a parenting site).
All Comments
Great post Brett.
-Tibi
The Japanese concept hara hachi bu (mentioned in Garr Reynolds' book Presentation Zen) means "eat until 80% full." This idea is easily applied in other areas of life and I use it often to remind myself that moderation is a good thing.
Another jumping-off point:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle's_ethics...
Proverbs 20, 1
Ephesians 5, 18
Proverbs 23:29-35
Titus 2:7
and many others
My personal favorite on this regard comes on Proverbs 23:20-21:
Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.
Many blessings to all and keep up the excellent posts,
Art Gonzalez
Check my Squidoo Lens at: Quantum Knights
@Geoff-Actually, when I first started writing this post, I was centering it on Aristotle's philosophy of the mean. But it just wasn't coming together like I wanted it to. So I ended up going in a different direction. But Aristotle's thoughts are definitely worth pondering when it comes to the virtue of moderation.
I even saw a tax return ad touting the Rapid Refund one year on TV. A guy was waiting by the mailbox day after day while the mail truck sped past while the voice-over said, "The old way requires patience." As if that were a bad thing.
We are overstimulated, and too many people seem to expect to be entertained every waking moment. I once asked someone who had to have the radio on all the time, "Are you that afraid to be alone with your thoughts?"
Moderation is key. Sometimes I prefer to be in the moment and use a broom to clear leaves instead of a blower, or an edger that's powered only by my arms instead of electricity.