When Things Go South #044

Your Daily Happiness Gym

Hello, and welcome again to EveryDawn. We've talked a lot about Aristotle, and I want to slowly come to an end with our discussion about him. However, there's one more thing about Aristotle that I find very insightful, and I think it's a great point to keep in mind as it can really benefit our lives.

Aristotle once made a comparison involving a shoemaker and a general. He said,

"The man who is truly good and wise will bear all the chances of life becomingly and always makes the best of circumstances, as a good general makes the best military use of the army at his command and a good shoemaker makes the best shoes out of the hides that are given to him."

This idea extends to all craftsmen. If this is the case, the happy man can never become miserable.

You might be wondering about the main point here. It's about distinguishing a good general from a bad one, and a good shoemaker from a bad one, by looking at the materials they have available and the output they create. Everyone can make good shoes from perfect leather, and everyone can win a war with perfect troops. But a good shoemaker can still make good shoes out of bad leather, and a good general can win a battle even with bad, hungry, and tired troops.

When we talk about life and happiness, it's not so helpful to always complain about our environmental situation. Sometimes we say, "I could perhaps have had a happier life, but my job is so tiring," or "I have to work so many hours," or "I get only so little money." These situations are indeed bad, like having cheap leather for a shoemaker or incompetent troops for a general. However, what Aristotle wants to emphasize is that these drawbacks don't necessarily have to reduce our happiness because there's another factor: the quality of us as the managers of our own lives.

Just as a skilled shoemaker can make a good shoe out of bad leather, and a skilled general can win a battle with bad troops, we, as human beings, can have a better life than most people would imagine, even in a bad objectively bad situation because we're able to make the best use of the resources given to us.

This thought is powerful but also daunting because it means we are more responsible for our lives. We can't just push the responsibility onto the environment and say, "My life is miserable because fate put me in a situation where I can't do anything." This is often an easy excuse. If I say, "I am the master shoemaker of my life, I am the master general of my life," then I'm responsible. If I lose the battle, it's on me; if I win, it's also on me.

This is the positive side: the idea that I can still win the battle, even with tired troops, if I'm a good enough general. Practicing virtues, as Aristotle says, acquiring the skill to lead a skillful life, and applying virtues correctly to get the best result for me and others emphasizes the connection between all things so that we can all flourish together. These things make me a good manager of my life.

If some of this isn't clear, consider revisiting the past few episodes where we explained these concepts. Now, as a skillful manager of my life, I can use all these challenging situations optimally and still achieve a good result. This means that my life doesn't have to be bad because I'm married to someone unhelpful, or because I only have a job at Amazon, or because I'm not earning enough to vacation in Thailand. These things would be better if different, but it's still true that it's in my power to improve my skills, my "phronesis," my skill of dealing with my virtues and environment in a way that's beneficial to all. Then, slowly, I can improve my life situation and achieve a better life, even if the environment isn't helpful.

This is a great comfort. It means we don't need to excuse ourselves; we just need to start working on it. We need to grab our life, look at it carefully, make a good plan, exercise our virtues, and go for it to improve it and make it worthwhile.

So today, perhaps take a moment to look at where your life is limited by environmental conditions—like a relationship, a job, a lack of money, or a location. Even if you live in a country with a struggling economy and limited opportunities, Aristotle would say flourishing is still possible if you develop the skills required. Then, slowly and patiently, try to develop the skills you need in order to become a good general, a good shoemaker, a good manager of your own life. Then you will be able to make good shoes, win battles, and achieve a better life for yourself.

Thank you, and see you again tomorrow.