The Virtuous Life: Chastity and Sexuality — [PDF]
Alcohol. I do not indulge in it. I do not drink beer, wine, vodka, champagne, or any other alcoholic beverage.
Marijuana. I do not smoke it. I do not take heroin, cocaine, crack, ecstasy, LSD, or any form of narcotics or barbituates.
Sex. I do not engage in it. I do not have casual sexual relations with women.
Humility. I am humble. I am not arrogant, nor am I a braggart. I recognize my own flaws and know my place. My ego does not drive my actions, and I recognize with clarity my status and my actions, without inflating or lessening its value.
Respect. I am respectful. I am polite and regard others with respect. I recognize the value of other people, and I act as such in every day of my life. I follow the golden rule by treating others as I would like to be treated. I appreciate everyone's worth as a fellow human being, from the man who makes my deli sandwich to the police officers who risk their lives daily to protect us.
Industriousness. I am a man of industry. I believe in hard work and I value those who have a good work ethic.
I don't drink, I don't do drugs, I don't have casual sex. I am a man of humility and respect. It's not because I am a Mormon. I have never abided by a particular system of rules. I find that most people in this day and age only adhere to a certain brand of virtue because of their religion. Very rarely do I find people who abstain from sex, drugs, and alcohol (yes, all three of them) of their own accord. More often than not, men who are supposedly religious will be tempted to drink, and it is the prospect of sinning that controls such impulses. Rare is the man who controls himself with a strength that comes from within. Gone are the days of truly manly men who believed in hard work, discipline, and sacrifice. As Tony Soprano always liked to quip, "What happened to the strong silent type?"
I never gave much thought to it really. I didn't think anything of my values, only that I was at odds of finding a kindred spirit in the modern culture. But I stumbled upon The Art of Manliness and read their series on leading a Virtuous Life. Apparently, according to Ben Franklin, I am largely a virtuous man.
On Chastity
All the intellectuals and other smart folks out there can defend casual "beneficial" sex all they want. But here's the thing. Back before prophylactics were invented, when a man wanted to have sex with a woman, and the woman felt the same way, they had sex and there began the creation of a new life. There's nothing really to debate there. Before the invention of condoms and birth control pills, when two people had sex the woman generally got pregnant, and now the two became a family of three, whether or not they liked it. Therefore, the act of having sex has powerful implications. One should have a healthy respect for such an act. The Art of Manliness has written an article on chastity that I agree with on nearly all points.
On Working
Work is good. An honest day's work is an honest day's pay. Hard work is rewarding. But nobody wants to work any more. They want a handout. Take the retail field. How many retail workers do you see who actually work hard and like their job? How many rude and unmotivated workers do you come across in shopping venues all across America? It's a shame.
I have done my stint in the retail world. It can be draining and your manager will probably be a prick. But hard work pays for itself. One day, when I was working in Blockbuster Video, I was shelving the videos I sorted earlier. A young couple came in looking for some horror film. They asked me where it was, and I attempted to find it for them. We found the display box, but the video wasn't there. They were a little disappointed but thanked me for my help. As my work brought me to the horror section, I noticed that the video the couple wanted was in my cart. I took it in my hand and found them, handed it over. They were so surprised and expressed their delight.
The smiles on their faces and their genuine gratitude was all the satisfaction I needed. I got paid a pittance, but I was always a good worker. I was never late, I completed my tasks in a timely fashion, and I dealt with customers in a professional and friendly manner. I brought this good work ethic with me to all of my jobs.
What I hate seeing and being around are pikers. I hate people who don't have any pride in their work. Those who wear their work uniforms sloppily, those who don't care to educate themselves in even the most basic parts of their work, those who are unprofessional: I cannot stand these people. Those who want to leave work as soon as the hour hand hits five, I have no respect for. Incompetence, ignorance, and unprofessionalism are huge annoyances in my book.
