NOWADAYS, when we are pushed to
heighten our concern for
the environment, what with all this hot talk about global warming and
climate change, we need to resurrect a basic virtue, one of the
cardinal virtues, in fact, that I believe figures at the very root of
this issue.
This is none other than the virtue of temperance that has
something to do with the prudent use of material things or the goods
of the earth. It involves some degree of restraint and moderation in
the use of things, knowing that we can easily be spoiled by them.
Temperance, to put it bluntly, has as its purpose the
integration of the material aspect of our nature with the spiritual
dimension of our life and our supernatural goal. It aims to keep and
nourish the integrity of our life that is often threatened by a
variety of divisive factors of our earthly life, due to our proneness
to pride, vanity, greed, envy, etc. These have the nasty habit of
misusing things.
We have to understand that any concern for the
environment, which can have tremendous aspects and dimensions that can
extend all the way to the global, atmospheric and even cosmic, should
start with this basic virtue of temperance that should be lived in the
personal level before it is lived in the higher levels of our social
life.
Without this personal temperance, all those big efforts in
the national and international levels would come out as a heavy
construct merely floating on air. It is bound to collapse sooner or
later.
And so we have to foster a greater awareness of the
practical consequences of personal temperance. Since we are in the
midst of a madness of materialism, commercialism and consumerism, let
us ask ourselves whether we are having things that we actually do not
need.
Better still, let us examine the motives for acquiring
things. Do we buy things because we really need them, or are we simply
driven by vanity, pride or greed when we make those purchases?
Do we take good care of the things we possess, so that
they last and are used properly? Are we taking austerity measures
especially in the use of basic items like food, drinks, electricity,
water, etc.? Do we prefer organic materials than synthetic ones? Do we
develop a simple lifestyle or an extravagant, ostentatious one?
Do we walk sometimes, or take the bike or the public
transport instead of using our personal cars from time to time? Do we
deprive ourselves of the use of aircon for a time?
These may just be considered as puny things, but when they
become part of our life and our culture, these can contribute greatly
in cleaning up the air and the environment in general.
To be sure, temperance has nothing to do with miserliness
and pusillanimity, that anomalous tendency to be overly sparing in the
use of things and small-heartedness. Temperance goes very well with
generosity and the effort to undertake well-planned big projects, not
afraid to use whatever money and other resources are needed to attain
a good goal.
Temperance is not just a matter of saving, keeping and
hoarding things for the sake of simply saving, keeping and hoarding
them. Its restraint and moderation are meant to contribute to one’s
personal good and welfare, and more importantly, to the common good.
So temperance is actually a very cheerful virtue that can
give one a deep sense of confidence and security. Its requirement of
sacrifice is simply an expression of love, that is, love of God and
love for others, and not self-love. If one truly lives it, he will
have a smiling face, not a long, sad one.
We need to popularize this virtue. Sad to say, it looks as
if it is facing extinction. We need to show the true beauty of
temperance, purifying it from the baseless fears that it is going to
be a hindrance in our economic development and in the pursuit of what
is innovative, beautiful, convenient, etc.
Obviously, in this effort of purifying its image, we need
to define what true economic, let alone, human development is, what
would comprise as a true good for us, as real and lasting beauty for
us, etc. At the moment, we cannot deny that we are bombarded with
false images of these values.
In the end, we cannot help but relate all this effort
about temperance to the ultimate source of what is true, good and
beautiful in the world, God himself, our Creator. These do not depend
on our consensus alone.
the environment, what with all this hot talk about global warming and
climate change, we need to resurrect a basic virtue, one of the
cardinal virtues, in fact, that I believe figures at the very root of
this issue.
This is none other than the virtue of temperance that has
something to do with the prudent use of material things or the goods
of the earth. It involves some degree of restraint and moderation in
the use of things, knowing that we can easily be spoiled by them.
Temperance, to put it bluntly, has as its purpose the
integration of the material aspect of our nature with the spiritual
dimension of our life and our supernatural goal. It aims to keep and
nourish the integrity of our life that is often threatened by a
variety of divisive factors of our earthly life, due to our proneness
to pride, vanity, greed, envy, etc. These have the nasty habit of
misusing things.
We have to understand that any concern for the
environment, which can have tremendous aspects and dimensions that can
extend all the way to the global, atmospheric and even cosmic, should
start with this basic virtue of temperance that should be lived in the
personal level before it is lived in the higher levels of our social
life.
Without this personal temperance, all those big efforts in
the national and international levels would come out as a heavy
construct merely floating on air. It is bound to collapse sooner or
later.
And so we have to foster a greater awareness of the
practical consequences of personal temperance. Since we are in the
midst of a madness of materialism, commercialism and consumerism, let
us ask ourselves whether we are having things that we actually do not
need.
Better still, let us examine the motives for acquiring
things. Do we buy things because we really need them, or are we simply
driven by vanity, pride or greed when we make those purchases?
Do we take good care of the things we possess, so that
they last and are used properly? Are we taking austerity measures
especially in the use of basic items like food, drinks, electricity,
water, etc.? Do we prefer organic materials than synthetic ones? Do we
develop a simple lifestyle or an extravagant, ostentatious one?
Do we walk sometimes, or take the bike or the public
transport instead of using our personal cars from time to time? Do we
deprive ourselves of the use of aircon for a time?
These may just be considered as puny things, but when they
become part of our life and our culture, these can contribute greatly
in cleaning up the air and the environment in general.
To be sure, temperance has nothing to do with miserliness
and pusillanimity, that anomalous tendency to be overly sparing in the
use of things and small-heartedness. Temperance goes very well with
generosity and the effort to undertake well-planned big projects, not
afraid to use whatever money and other resources are needed to attain
a good goal.
Temperance is not just a matter of saving, keeping and
hoarding things for the sake of simply saving, keeping and hoarding
them. Its restraint and moderation are meant to contribute to one’s
personal good and welfare, and more importantly, to the common good.
So temperance is actually a very cheerful virtue that can
give one a deep sense of confidence and security. Its requirement of
sacrifice is simply an expression of love, that is, love of God and
love for others, and not self-love. If one truly lives it, he will
have a smiling face, not a long, sad one.
We need to popularize this virtue. Sad to say, it looks as
if it is facing extinction. We need to show the true beauty of
temperance, purifying it from the baseless fears that it is going to
be a hindrance in our economic development and in the pursuit of what
is innovative, beautiful, convenient, etc.
Obviously, in this effort of purifying its image, we need
to define what true economic, let alone, human development is, what
would comprise as a true good for us, as real and lasting beauty for
us, etc. At the moment, we cannot deny that we are bombarded with
false images of these values.
In the end, we cannot help but relate all this effort
about temperance to the ultimate source of what is true, good and
beautiful in the world, God himself, our Creator. These do not depend
on our consensus alone.
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