“Temperance rejects excessive pleasures, seeking health and nobility.”
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book III, Chapter 11
(Translated by W.D. Ross)
Big Idea
Self-control is your life’s battery optimization mode 🔋📱：
- Excess = Max brightness + 10 apps → Dead by noon.
- Temperance = Dark mode + essential apps → Lasts all day.
Digital-Age Scenarios
🍟 DoorDash Dilemma
→ Gluttony：Order 50fastfood→Bloated+broke.→∗Wisdom∗：MealprepSunday→300 saved monthly.
🛒 Amazon Prime Night
→ Excess：Cart 10 “lightning deals” → Clutter + buyer’s remorse.
→ Restraint：Buy 1 needed item → Clean space + calm mind.
🎮 Gaming Marathon
→ Binge：Play till 4AM → Red eyes + fired job.
→ Balance：90-min timer → Promotion + gym gains.
What You Can Do
- The 30-Second Rule
Before indulgence:- Set timer → If still want it after 30s → Proceed.
- Pleasure Audit
Use screen time tracker + bank app to calculate:
→ Weekly dopamine cost ($ + hours)
→ Monthly “nobility dividend” (savings/achievements) - Habit Swaps
Replace 1 vice with 1 delayed-gratification ritual:
→ Late-night porn → Morning cold plunge.
→ Crypto gambling → Invest in index funds.