“Profligacy is excess in pursuing base pleasures; temperance rejects them.”
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book III, Chapter 10
(Translated by W.D. Ross)
Big Idea
Self-control is like grocery shopping 🛒:
- 🍟 Profligacy = Buy 10 bags of chips because they’re on sale → Clogged arteries.
- 🥦 Temperance = Walk past the snack aisle → Healthier tomorrow.
Real-Life Scenarios
🍔 Fast Food Temptation
→ Excess: Eat 3 burgers + fries after bad day → Guilt + heartburn.
→ Temperance: Order salad when stressed → Energy boost.
🛍️ Online Shopping
→ Excess: Max credit card on viral TikTok gadgets → Debt + clutter.
→ Temperance: Uninstall shopping apps → Savings grow.
🎮 Gaming Addiction
→ Excess: Play 8 hours daily → Failed classes.
→ Temperance: Set 1-hour timer → Grades + social life improve.
What You Can Do
- The “24-Hour Rule”
For impulsive desires:- Write it down → Sleep on it → Revisit next day.
- Pleasure Audit
Track weekly:- 3 base pleasures (e.g., binge-watching)
- 3 noble joys (e.g., hiking with friends)
- Temptation Swap
Replace 1 bad habit with 1 good ritual:
→ Nightly wine → Herbal tea + journaling.
→ Scrolling porn → Reading philosophy.