Everyday ethics: Working toward better living

Everyday ethics is the clue to what really matters — how best to live every day. Aristotle called practical wisdom the goal of philosophy — in other words, learning from experience what leads to a fulfilling life.We often forget this simple truth because our minds are diverted to wars and rumors of wars, floods and hurricanes, politics and other so-called big issues. But the bigger issues are usually in front of us, in the daily news of our lives.

Ben Franklin shared his wisdom in pithy sayings, one of which I keep handy to stay awake to living: “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.”

I took time to think about what I learned about how best to live, day by day, and tried to be simple. Here’s what I concluded and wrote down as a few basic rules to guide how I spend time.

Keep it simple; it will get complex all by itself. It’s quite difficult to live simply so that others might simply live. Our lives are congested by things we think we need but really don’t.

Fall back, spring ahead. Take time for self-care, the inner work of learning how to respect yourself. And only when you have taken time to think carefully about yourself can you spring ahead more secure in where you want to go.

Love more, hate less. Love is the glue that keeps our lives intact. Hate abuses not only others but oneself.

Focus energy on what can be changed, not what can’t be changed. We spend too much time on what cannot be changed, living in the past rather than the present.

Treat others as you wish to be treated. It’s the golden rule for how best to live.

In the ethics classes I taught, I suggested to students that their lives were the textbooks upon which their time would be spent. Each student was required to complete their own Book of Life, the principle being that self-reflection is one of the most important tasks they have. Or as Socrates advised: “Know thyself.”

The concept behind completing a Book of Life was that each life is roughly composed of seven-year chapters.  Each student was asked to jot down events or episodes for each seven-year chapter. Conveniently. seven years translated into basic life chapters, one to seven being early childhood, eight to 15 the growing-up years, etc.

Then, in small groups, each student shared his or her life story. Others were asked to practice active listening.  It shouldn’t have surprised me, but did, how few students ever took the time to reflect on their own lives, much less listen to others. I think it is in these small groups that everyday ethics happens.

Let me give you an assignment. Develop your own Book of Life on a single sheet. Mark off seven-year chapters, for example chapter one, birth to 7 years old. Continue the chapters up to your current age.

Then sit down and look at your book of life. Reflect on it. Find another person or even a small group to share your stories. This is the heart of learning how best to live.

Eventually, a second assignment asks students to complete a sentence based on their own lives: I am here to _____________________________________________. I would be curious what you wrote. It’s a simple way to express your life purpose or goal. You can send your statement to ethicseveryday@yahoo.com

John C. Morgan taught philosophy and ethics at a number of colleges, including Reading Area Community College and Albright College. His column appears weekly at readingeagle.com.