Cicero - On the Good Life.

Reading a detective novel I came across a reference to Cicero's duties & moral goodness in "On the Good Life".

• The ability to distinguish truth from falsity, and understand the relationship between one phenomenon and another & the causes and consequences of each one.
• The ability to restrain the passions.
• The ability to behave considerately and understandingly in our associations with other people."

If you are religious, which I'm not, you have Holy texts.  But everyone needs a "moral compass." By definition this cannot operate in a self absorbed & selfish person. When Mrs Thatcher said "there is no such thing as society" she did great harm.

Individuals have to be capable of putting others first for good to be done. They also have to be able to empathise with anothers situation and be prepared to make an effort  in order to improve it. Sometimes we have to put our own desires at the bottom of the list in order to benefit someone or society in general.

Human beings are capable of amazing selfless actions. Many are truly caring & endure great hardship and pain for the benefit for others. Honesty & truth are difficult taskmasters, temptation is all around us. But we should at least be honest with ourselves.

Above all we should try to think first & not go into "fight & flight mode" as soon as something thwarts us. We sometimes seem to let our emotions rule our lives. How many times have I lost my temper, been judgemental, said something cruel or unkind, even wanted to hit someone. It often seems that adults behave like spoilt children having a temper tantrum.

Truth, Emotion & Kindness - Could do better if I tried!