Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote:“To be happy, a man must both act excellently and be furnished with external goods.”​

“To be happy, a man must both act excellently and be furnished with external goods.”​
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book II, Chapter 1
(Translated by W.D. Ross)

🔍 Core Idea

Happiness = Ethical Action × Practical Support — like a smartphone needing both software (virtues) and hardware (resources). True flourishing requires ​cultivating courage/justice while securing ​basics like friendships, education, and safety — a formula where ​inner excellence powers external opportunities.

❗ Why This Matters Today

① ​Balancing School & Survival
A+ student working night shifts → tutors classmates (excellence) → negotiates flexible hours (external support) → achieves grades + income without burnout.

② ​Community Service 2.0
Volunteer at food bank (ethical action) → partner with local farms (external goods) → build systems that feed 200 families weekly → prove ​happiness multiplies when shared.

③ ​Climate Action Equation
Invent solar phone charger (excellence) → crowdfund production (resources) → power refugee camps → show ​virtue + tools = global-scale hope.