Aristotle Excom
In my friendships a common sentiment is “don’t worry man, I’ve got your back no matter what.” But is this really the most edifying way to conduct friendships? What are we to do when the good we loved and admired in a friend fades into obscurity and is replaced by something dark? Aristotle states when a friend permanently forsakes pursuit of the good in favor of wickedness, the friendship must be dissolved. (251) This is an extremely difficult idea to put into practice, because it is nearly impossible to determine when a friend has passed the point of no return. Therefore the point at which a friendship must be disbanded is when the vice of the friend begins to stunt the growth of the virtuous man and his ability to contribute …show more content…
“The perfect form of friendship is that between good men who are alike in excellence or virtue. For these men wish alike for one another’s good because they are good men” (219 ). This symmetry of virtue and excellence between the two friends is at the core of the relationship, and their relationship is fundamentally based on helping each other toward the good. Everyone slips up sometime, which is why we need friends to show us where we are making mistakes. (find reference) That is a part of the purpose of friendship. It is only when a friend refuses to see the error of his ways and begins to drag us down and away from virtue that the purpose of the friendship has been corrupted. This mutilation of what a friend does is what makes it finally necessary to sever a friendship, become contrary to its …show more content…
However, were we to maintain a friendship that has drifted from its virtuous roots in the name of loyalty, our loyalty would be misplaced. Because virtue is what brings us eudaimonia, it is to the pursuit of virtue that we must be most loyal to. Yes loyalty is important to any virtuous friendship, but only because an ideal friendship is a virtue in and of itself. When one member takes his eyes off the good and begins to chase after evil, that friendship is no longer virtuous, because a friendship of virtue requires commitment from both friends. Once that virtue has been lost, the claim virtue has on our loyalty overcomes the commitment we have made to that friendship. To compromise our virtue for the sake of loyalty would be to follow loyalty to excess, and in the process turn it into a vice. Here it is important to note that “if there is any chance of reforming him we must come to the aid of his character.” (251) Severing ties in a relationship is a drastic last measure when someone refuses to reorient their life toward virtue. But should a friend stray or have a lapse of judgement or moral strength but is willing to strive to realign himself with the principles of virtue on which the relationship began, he is still a friend of
In my friendships a common sentiment is “don’t worry man, I’ve got your back no matter what.” But is this really the most edifying way to conduct friendships? What are we to do when the good we loved and admired in a friend fades into obscurity and is replaced by something dark? Aristotle states when a friend permanently forsakes pursuit of the good in favor of wickedness, the friendship must be dissolved. (251) This is an extremely difficult idea to put into practice, because it is nearly impossible to determine when a friend has passed the point of no return. Therefore the point at which a friendship must be disbanded is when the vice of the friend begins to stunt the growth of the virtuous man and his ability to contribute …show more content…
“The perfect form of friendship is that between good men who are alike in excellence or virtue. For these men wish alike for one another’s good because they are good men” (219 ). This symmetry of virtue and excellence between the two friends is at the core of the relationship, and their relationship is fundamentally based on helping each other toward the good. Everyone slips up sometime, which is why we need friends to show us where we are making mistakes. (find reference) That is a part of the purpose of friendship. It is only when a friend refuses to see the error of his ways and begins to drag us down and away from virtue that the purpose of the friendship has been corrupted. This mutilation of what a friend does is what makes it finally necessary to sever a friendship, become contrary to its …show more content…
However, were we to maintain a friendship that has drifted from its virtuous roots in the name of loyalty, our loyalty would be misplaced. Because virtue is what brings us eudaimonia, it is to the pursuit of virtue that we must be most loyal to. Yes loyalty is important to any virtuous friendship, but only because an ideal friendship is a virtue in and of itself. When one member takes his eyes off the good and begins to chase after evil, that friendship is no longer virtuous, because a friendship of virtue requires commitment from both friends. Once that virtue has been lost, the claim virtue has on our loyalty overcomes the commitment we have made to that friendship. To compromise our virtue for the sake of loyalty would be to follow loyalty to excess, and in the process turn it into a vice. Here it is important to note that “if there is any chance of reforming him we must come to the aid of his character.” (251) Severing ties in a relationship is a drastic last measure when someone refuses to reorient their life toward virtue. But should a friend stray or have a lapse of judgement or moral strength but is willing to strive to realign himself with the principles of virtue on which the relationship began, he is still a friend of