Arete: How the Excellence of Your Character Can Lead to a Fulfilling Life
Hey Buddy! Happy you found your way to the exciting question of what arete means. In this article, I'll explain the meaning behind arete and how understanding and applying its principles can help you lead a more fulfilling life.
What is arete?
Well, arete is an ancient Greek concept that means excellence. Excellence isn't just for humans; it's for everyone and everything! Whether describing a horse, a bull, a knife, or even a person, each has its own unique excellence. Though the excellence of a person differs significantly from that of, say, a horse - that's for sure.
But what's meant by excellence, you might ask. Something is excellent when it fulfills its function well. It's about reaching your full potential and fulfilling your inherent function in the best way possible. In Stoicism, you can achieve this excellence by living virtuously. Or, in other words, a virtuous life guided by reason leads to the arete of a human being.
But let me show you some examples.
Examples of arete in Stoicism
Example 1:
Imagine you have a boss who is difficult and demanding, making it challenging for you to perform your job without feeling stressed or overwhelmed. It's easy to get frustrated and lose your cool when dealing with your boss. However, you choose to remain calm, patient, and respectful towards your boss. You decide to keep control of your emotions and practice applying the Stoic virtues. It's your active choice to focus on what you can control while accepting your boss's behavior as something you can't.
Example 2:
Now, let's say you're dealing with a chronic illness. You remember the dichotomy of control and start to focus on what you can control. Even though it may be tough, you can work to make the most of your abilities and opportunities. It's not about what you can't do but what you can do. Wisdom helps you stay rational, searching for the best ways to deal with your situation. Temperance or self-discipline enables you to work constantly and with discipline on the things you can control without complaining. Justice helps you to be honest and fair with yourself. Lastly, there's courage, which enables you to face your difficulties and keep on going.
In both examples, you apply the Stoic virtues to your thoughts and actions; thus, you shape your character toward excellence or arete.
How can it help you?
Arete is one crucial skill to achieve eudaimonia, and Stoics are striving for this kind of happiness - eudaimonic happiness. If you want to live a life where you are able to keep your peace of mind and serenity even in the middle of a storm, you should strive for it, too.
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