“Our habits shape who we are. Just like an athlete gets stronger by training, a person who keeps making bad choices becomes a bad person. If they refuse to admit this, they’re just making excuses.
Can People Change Once They Have Bad Habits?
A person who keeps choosing to lie or be selfish can’t say they don’t want to be that way—they’re making that choice every day.
But once a bad habit is formed, it’s much harder to change—just like ignoring a doctor’s advice can lead to an illness that’s difficult to cure.
Think of it like dropping a rock. Before you drop it, you have the power to hold on. But once you let go, you can’t stop it from falling.
In the same way, we can choose our actions in the beginning, but if we keep making bad choices, it gets harder to turn back.
This means being a good or bad person is up to us—our choices shape who we become.”
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 52-53
“Pleasure is tricky—it can make something feel right even when it’s actually harmful. That’s why virtue requires wisdom and discipline, not just instinct.”
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 43
“A virtuous person knows when to feel emotions, how much to feel, and how to act on them in the right way.
The same goes for actions:
• Generosity: Too much, and you give everything away. Too little, and you’re selfish. The right balance is giving wisely.
• Courage: Too much, and you’re reckless. Too little, and you’re a coward. The right balance is bravery with wisdom.
• Self-control: Too much pleasure-seeking makes you indulgent. Avoiding all pleasure makes you lifeless. The right balance is enjoying life responsibly.
Some Things Are Always Wrong
But, not everything has a middle ground. Actions like stealing, lying, and cruelty are always wrong. You can’t say, ‘I only stole a little, so it was virtuous.’ Some things are simply bad, just as courage and honesty are always good.”
-The Nichomachean Ethics-For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 41-42
