Examples Of Obsequiousness

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Aristotle claims that to be morally virtuous one must find a mean between two vices. The moral virtue of friendliness is said to be the mean between the vices of obsequious and grouchy. He discusses the idea that it is not right to treat a stranger the same way we would treat someone we know very well. It seems as though people can sometimes be so friendly they become obsequious. Because obsequiousness is an extreme, it can be seen as a negative. However, sometimes more of something is necessary for certain situations and instances. Aristotle is correct when he says that the extreme of friendliness is obsequious. However, obsequious can be beneficial to a contemporary society. Specifically, obsequiousness can be beneficial to events such as …show more content…
More so, it is valid that being obsequious can be a good extreme in a contemporary society. An example of beneficial obsequiousness could be the Niagara University new student summer orientation. At this event, students that are new to the campus are welcomed with open arms. This is a good occurrence that may be seen as obsequious because of the way some act towards each other. Strangers sometimes treat each other as if they had known each other for longer than just a few days. The orientation leaders can be seen as obsequious. They have a goal to be friendly and praise the students that come. This may lead some to feel more comfortable in their surroundings. Often, when one feels like others are lacking enthusiasm and interest they feel unwelcomed. If someone is obsequious their praise can immediately soothe this fear. Additionally, being obsequious in this situation can be beneficial in the way it deals with pain. Someone who is obsequious does not want to inflict pain on anyone, in any way. Aristotle says the obsequious “think that they must avoid giving pain to those they meet.” (p.102). This is highly crucial in this situation because going into orientation students are already nervous and unsure. When dealing with them, one ought to be more careful with their words and actions because of the

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