“Profligacy is more voluntary than cowardice, being driven by pleasure, not pain.”
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book III, Chapter 12
(Translated by W.D. Ross)
Big Idea
Self-control is like dieting 🍰🏋️♀️:
- Profligacy = Eat 3 slices of cake because “YOLO” → Sugar crash guilt.
- Cowardice = Skip dentist appointment from fear → Toothache torture.
Real-Life Scenarios
🛒 Impulse Shopping
→ Pleasure Choice: Buy $200 shoes for instant dopamine → Credit card screams.
→ Pain Avoidance: Don’t return wrong size to avoid convo → Waste money.
🍻 Peer Pressure
→ Pleasure Path: Do 5th shot to seem cool → Hangover hell.
→ Fear Path: Skip party to avoid rejection → Lonely FOMO.
💸 Financial Choices
→ Pleasure-Driven: Buy lottery tickets chasing jackpot high → Broke again.
→ Pain-Driven: Stay in terrible job for healthcare → Soul slowly dies.
What You Can Do
- The “Why Now?” Test
When tempted, ask:- “Am I chasing a quick high or avoiding real work?”
- Pleasure-Pain Swap
Replace 1 bad habit with 1 brave action:
→ Evening Netflix binge → 30-min jog (hurts now, feels great after).
→ Scrolling Insta in bed → Text an old friend (scary but rewarding). - Choice Journal
Track weekly decisions:
Mon: Bought video game instead of paying bill ❌
Wed: Asked for raise despite fear ✅