“Virtue has to do with feelings and actions. Praise or blame is given only to what is voluntary; the involuntary receives pardon or pity.”
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book III, Chapter 1
(Translated by W.D. Ross)
The Big Idea
Your real character shows in choices you make on purpose – not accidents. Think:
- Getting praised for helping a classmate (because you chose to) ✅
- No one’s mad if you drop your lunch (it was an accident) 🤷
Real-Life Scenarios
🔥 Test Time Choices
Voluntary = You choose to study hard → Aced the test? That’s YOUR win!
Involuntary = You got lucky guessing answers → No one respects that.
🤝 Lunchroom MVP
Voluntary = You decide to sit with a lonely kid → Earn trust points.
Involuntary = Tripping & spilling milk → People feel bad, but it’s not “you”.
📱 Social Media Wins
Voluntary = You stop before sharing a hurtful meme → Build “good person” cred.
Involuntary = Autoplay shows something mean → Not your fault, but skip it fast!
Try This Week
- Track Your Power Moves
- Day 1: Chose to do homework honestly → ✅
- Day 2: Helped sibling without being asked → ✅
- Day 3: Avoided gossip (even when tempted) → 💪
- Ask Yourself
“Was this my choice or an accident?” before feeling proud/guilty. - Shoutout System
Tell a friend 1 voluntary good thing they did this week.