A Study Of Virtue

 Virtue is not knowledge,

It is a word used to describe attributes that make up some of the most basic characteristics in the fabric of human life. It is not, some people are born with virtues, and some people are born without. Virtue cannot be taught, it must be found by the seeker. Based upon what is on the other side in the window of life, witch is opened to you. A child’s mind keeps what virtues are needed to succeed, and throws away what virtues are not (The progressive nature of "the modern survival of the unfit"). In conclusion to this, a mind must unlearn what it has been shown in life, and change its reality, in order to uncover the virtues that lay within. Here on earth, such a man would be, in respect of virtue, as something real amongst shadows. This is not an account of the natural man.

"A good man's son obeying wisdoms words, you'd scarcely find grown bad. But yet you would never by "teaching" make the bad man good".

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Helena]

"In conclusion to this, you must unlearn what you have been shown in life,
and change your reality in order to uncover the virtues that lay within
the fabric of humanity."

True! That's why the first five years of a baby's life is so important, as that sets the wiring of
good and bad experiences in the brain. However, this can be overcome by many means.

As Rhea has suggested it could be a "supernatural encounter with God".

Also if a person becomes to feel that through life's experiences that they are not living as they would
like, then with very hard work (and it is very hard) they can indeed change that wiring and
gain virtue. But you have to WANT to...and my idea is that I think all human beings are born with
virtue, you just have to want to find it again.

Very good thoughts penned here. ~ Helena ~

[Everchanging Disaster]

A very true philosophical introspection of virtue! Bravo!

[RHEA CROSLEY]

Good write with important insight. I would add that one can obtain virtue as a gift from a supernatural encounter with God "who gives wisdom to all men liberally and without reproach".

[Kloud_Nine]

Looks good so far, although, I really can't respond seeing that it is not complete so if you would send me the rest, I could tell you what I think.

[Legion]

A bad man made good may seem an impossibility but it can be done in some cases. Usually in those that virtues were cast aside in a single moment of passion or greed or whatever and the bad came. If a bad man could not be made good at all then there would be no point in prisons or social programs to help rehabilitate. The death penalty would be the only option. Also, what one person(s) or culture might consider bad, others might not. Take some of the key differences in Islam and Christianity for instance and you will understand what I mean. Unfortunately, because humanity is the way it is the lessons we learn (and thus develop those virtues) are seldom passed on in a bigger sense. If so, war would have been abolished centuries ago, violence would be annihilated, and greed would be nothing we would even consider as a whole. Hope all this made sense because I'm half asleep at the moment. Anyway, interesting piece. Enjoyed the read. Make sure you go back and make the necessary grammatical correction when you have finished this essay.

[C. C. Burl]

Very interesting . . . I do not believe that virtue is woven throughout man, though; I personally believe that through the fruit of learning, and especially hard work, we can weave its goodness into our lives. Good write, though. Very thought-provoking. Flora.

[Czar Lyrus]

Hmmm... might I add my opinion?

I believe that virtue is nthing but a point of view. Think... Chancellor Palpatine and his Sith philosophy. Good and evil don't actually exist, they are merely portraits created by humans. Morals are the same.

[Kena Dawn Augustine]

Very intellectual and informative read. I agree with you in some respects with this. Virtue is something I strive to incorporate in my very being every day. And I feel the more I stick to my morals and virtues, the mores blessed in life I am.

Anyway, thanks for sharing brandon! i'm new to your work, so send more.

Kena

[Annalisa]

I like the idea of this piece, defining virtue for yourself, but I don't agree with what you say. In the second paragraph you say that past life experiences cannot be unlearned and once someone thinks the way they do they are set in that pattern for good. This isn't true, yes you cannot unexperience past events but you can change your mind. It is what phycological therapy does. When people are depressed, anxious, or whatever therapists work with the person to retrain the brain so that you do learn how to act differently and make different choices. It is an extremely hard process but it is possible and is done every day.

I also have a hard time buying your argument. In the first paragraph, where you introduce your reader to your argument and should be establishing firm ground you are instead unclear and vague. The sentence "It is not, some people are born with virtues, and some people are not" makes absolutely no sense. If this sentence were structured properly then clause "some people are born with virtues" should be acting as a dependent clause, but instead you have "and some people are not" as the dependent clause. When you have a sentence with a section of it separated by comas you should be able to take that section out, read the sentence and still have it make sense. In creative writing you can sometimes get away with improper grammar as a form of artistic license but this reads much more like an essay, and argument, and therefor deserves a more complete and proper voice.

Another problem with the first paragraph is that you contract yourself almost immediately. When you say "Virtue cannot be taught" you turn around to say that a child experiences life and keeps or discards different virtues depending on whether or not it is relevant to their lives. This is a process of learning, perhaps through experience instead of being told but it is still learning and therefor self taught.

The first paragraph is such a mess that it ruined the rest of the piece for me. I was so confuse by what you were trying to say, is virtue learned or inherited, is it impossible or not to change ones way of thinking that i never could figure out what exactly you wanted the reader to know. What were you trying to convey? Because as it is now it's about as clear a completely fogged window when your driving.

The idea behind this is good, an exploration of virtue and what it actually means and how people react or are effected by it is really interesting. But when you write something like this you have to respect the setting and seriousness. Now if you had taken the approach of comedy and made this entire piece into a satire that would have been fine and hilarious, but you don't so if you are going to make an argument make it and make it clear.

I'm sorry if this seems a bit harsh, but it is true and I hope you can take something away from my words. Do know that if I thought the piece was truly horrible, or that your were a hopeless writer I wouldn't have taken the time to write this out and instead would have left no review at all.

It is not, some people are born with virtues, and some people are not.

[Philosophile. (Maddy)]

I believe virtue is tied closely to religions ideals. This was an interesting read, especially in how you relate your message with the workings of the brain. I found this well written and thought provoking. Good job with this!