The Value Of Living A Virtuous Life

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In the book the Lakota way: stories and lessons for living, by Joseph M Marshal III, the virtue of love, the root of all other virtues is the first virtue necessary to living a virtuous life. A life of virtue is lived by putting the needs of others first, allowing oneself to decrease so that all may be given the opportunity to thrive. The decrease of oneself is an act of humility, which cannot be done without a strong virtue of love. Love is the root of all other virtues, it is from love that humility, respect, sacrifice and honor flow. A virtuous life, lived by continually trying to strengthen the virtues is not attainable without first perfecting the virtue of love. The least significant virtue is the virtue of bravery. Bravery can be attained …show more content…

Bravery can be attained without true love and can be used for the wrong reasons, giving it the possibility of becoming a vice. Bravery can be good, and along with the virtue of fortitude, it can help warriors defend, and give others the strength to survive difficult situations. This is shown in “the Story of the Defender”, when Hoka guards the campsite and the elk kill of the day against a possible bear (141-150). In this way the virtue of bravery is used properly. However, it is also quite easy for bravery to become a vice. This can happen when one becomes arrogant - one of the vices of humility - or attains an excess of courage. This can cause one to fight just to show off skill. Another way that bravery can become a vice is when one fights an unworthy opponent, or for a cause that they do not believe in. If a brave person fights a much weaker opponent, they do not show love and mercy which are important components of a virtuous life, and must come before personal advancement and the show of power. Fighting for the wrong reasons, just to show power, or for something immoral is just as fighting an unequally matched opponent because the action of bravery cannot cancel the object of the decision, which is to fight for something one does not believe in, or be lives to be morally

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