Aristotle’s 12 Virtues Essay Example

Aristotle’s 12 virtues were his idea of what was important to living a life with morals and values. Like most things, moderation is something to consider. Aristotle expressed that excessive demonstration of these virtues are just as bad as using none.  Liberality is one of the many virtues that is Aristotle values. It refers to the pleasure and ease that the liberal (the giver) feels by relinquishing themselves from a possession that was generously given to someone else when the time was right. But where and how did this virtue originate? How has the impact of Liberality evolved over the years and is it still prevalent in our current society?

Aristotle created 12 virtues; they were the necessities that were needed to live a life with moral values. Liberality is one of these. Liberty is said to be a judicious medium when it comes to matters relating to wealth. The two extremes of Liberality are prodigality and stinginess. Prodigality refers to the term prodigal, spending of money and o resources in a way that can be deemed excessive, stinginess being the inverse. The term stems from the Latin word “liber”, meaning free. This suggested that an individual who is liberal, can give freely without ill feelings. When it is indicated that something should be done, it would be done generously and with as much care possible. “Liberality consists less in giving a great deal than in gifts well-timed.” — Jean de la Bruyere. Take money as an example. By giving out money so frivolously, it loses the gift like value due to the disregard of financial responsibility. Like                                                                                                                                   how generosity has been viewed within society up to this day, many see liberality as a weakness. 

  In this day in age, we have had to create a new form of normalcy after the eruption of Covid-19. From the initial panic that led to extensive purchases of household goods, quarantine, mask mandates and even more. As we move back into society’s view of “normal”, we have had to adapt to new ways of living and thinking. But how has expressing liberality changed during this time? Living liberally during the rise of the pandemic appeared to be on a decline. From late 2019 to as far as late 2020, it was harder for individuals to express liberality. Like I previously stated, people were buying excessive amounts of household items, more specifically toilet paper and water. These items were bought in a way that if the time came around that someone could not leave their home for an extended period, they would be more than enough prepared. With that being the case, people became so sheltered and paranoid about what the next day could bring and were extremely hesitant to give to others despite everyone being lost. While some were more fortunate than others, there was still lots of hesitation on what is good to give and what isn’t. Luckily as time went forward, people were seeing and becoming more aware of the less fortunate and were making moves to aid those in dire need. In fact, America gave a record amount of $471 Billion to charities and foundations in 2020, (HALELUYA HADERO,) Today’s philosophers see liberality different to how it used to be. Expressing liberal traits to free oneself from being attached to something and allowing it to essentially assist another person.

After observing various other analyses of liberality, I feel as though I can create a definition of it for myself. I feel as though liberality is the virtue of ridding oneself from something and giving it to another as a way too rid themselves from neglectful and seclusive ideals.

Liberality as a virtue has been around for decades, gradually changing its shape while simultaneously staying true to the meaning Aristotle presented. While researching this virtue I have come out of the experience with new ways of thinking and understanding how people construct their own ideals and follow others.