Indulge

Temperance and courage have their root in the irrational part of our being. They are about controlling reactions, cravings and desires. Temperance has more to do with managing pleasures where courage is managing painful things. With temperance a person wants to avoid being self-indulgent toward pleasures. But what are the pleasures we are talking about? We have the capacity to be pleased and happiness depends on it so how can they cause harm? Can a person live by "If it feels good do it"?

We can divide pleasures into two categories; pleasures of the body and pleasures of the soul. We admire honor and learning. People delight in them to differing degrees. These pleasures have to do with the mind and not the body and we usually don’t consider a person who is overboard in these areas a self-indulgent person. Someone who is devastated by the loss of a business or his friends isn't considered self-indulgent either. Caring isn't considered an excess to be avoided.

Temperance must be concerned with bodily pleasures. But even some of these are exempt. Feelings, sights and sounds are neutral and aren't considered good or bad. A person who loves art or is emotional can’t really be considered self- indulgent. We all enjoy things such as sights and sounds to differing degrees. We might criticize someone for their music but the reality is that each person has his own tastes. To see beauty in art and to desire creative things our senses experience is part of the human experience and isn't an area we judge people on. Tasting a fine wine, admiring a beautiful painting or smelling flowers are the kind of things we all appreciate. This is savoring and there is nothing wrong with it.

Excesses that occur in the base appetites are what temperance is concerned with. The appetites we share with animals. Animals don't have the savoring abilities to the degree humans have them. A good smell to a lion or a dog means food. It is natural to have appetites. Sometimes when these go wrong, a person may sacrifice the ability to savor and enjoy things as a human should in order to satisfy an out of control appetite. This is the point of self-indulgence. A temperate person has the ability to savor and appreciate things appropriately. For example, he can enjoy a fine tasting gourmet dinner rather than pigging out on junk food. There is less pain involved with temperance when the craving isn't satisfied immediately.

In the next post we will dig a little deeper into these areas and will be able to say we have completed book three. Only seven more to go...