Podcast of restraint

"There is something good about the life that explicitly identifies itself within certain limits" says Scott Stephens, co-host of The Minefield podcast.

The Minefield covers philosophy and ethical dilemmas. This series is on good virtues that seems less popular today and this episode's virtue is restraint.

So what's restraint?

We're not talking seatbelts. Restraint is simply the idea of being satisfied with what you have, even if you're able to have more.

In today's culture it might almost seems like heresy - to suggest not getting, doing or buying every single thing you want. Consumer culture says to have as much as we want of everything we want, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.

As I write this I have several leftover Easter eggs on the table - the tiny ones. I'm leaving one until I finish writing this. Even that felt a little counter-cultural. It's right there. It'll taste good. Why not eat it?

Opting out

Recorded during Ramadan, the podcast episode looked at short-term fasting like Lent and Ramadan, to focus on the spiritual, and the ongoing Jewish and Islamic traditions of not eating bacon.

"These are forms of daily restraint. And that cultivates an ethic doesn't it" says Waleed. "The ethic of not bowing to every whim - I think that is something ... that creates a better person, that creates a better life, that creates a better series of dispositions."

Cruel Optimism

Podcast guest Christopher Mayes talks of "cruel optimism". That's when we're presented with life goals that supposedly would fulfill us, but "the pursuit of those goals often ends up denigrating or eroding the life that is supposedly going to be fulfilled and flourish".

He gives the example of owning a house in Sydney. It might be nice thing to have, but (given Sydney prices) if it means two people working 50+ hours a week for 30 years, is it really worth it?

(Side note on this topic: Check out this clever house action satirical ad)

Capitalism

Restraint can be described as the opposite of desire, greed and envy. "But that's the very engine of capitalism" remarks Waleed - the idea that we are entitled to whatever we want. Capitalist economy works by inventing new problems so that new products can be sold back to us. "I don't know how to articulate that as a moral way of living."

"The environmental catastrophes that we continually unleash on the planet are a direct consequence of this mode of thinking, the absence of restraint."

So what to do?

It's not necessarily about living "like a pauper" but for some living simply and frugally is a way to benefit both others and themselves. I guess the point is to live a life that isn't merely seeking every self-serving desire that enters our head (or that advertising puts in there).

I guess it's about having purpose, and sometimes forgoing immediate pleasure or personal benefit for the benefit of others - or even for the benefit of ourselves in the future.

Perhaps I'll leave that remaining egg for later - or for my wife. :)