on aristotle and social currency
i actually think there's a lot to be said about aristotle's characterization of the philosopher and how it rejects much of what we as a current society have deemed important. in nicomachean ethics (which is where i will be pulling all of this from) he is clear with the virtue of study being of a higher caliber than all other virtue (note his ordered series argument, detailing that virtues are always ordered)
the wiser the philosopher, the wiser the man of virtue, the more it is possible for him to live a life of solitude, unlike the brave or temperate man
when we as a society obtain value through clicks, likes, engagement, beauty, vanity, and many others, inherently, it takes away from the ability to pursue the continuous virtuous action of study. while the pursuit of vanity is engrained in our society, the constant need to focus on it removes any ability we have to further our understanding. if your sense of self is entirely reliant on outward perception, it is impossible to truly devote time to study, as aristotle dictated that nothing done halfway is thus possible to be happiness. it is perhaps telling that aristotle considered the capacity for sustained, solitary thought to be the highest human function. not beauty. not the admiration of others. not the performance of suffering for an audience. aristotle deemed the philosopher, life wholly dedicated to study, transcendant and divine.
