Life and Virtue

Reading my friend Bon Vivants last post I realize how important it is to develop ones taste.

Definition of a Bon Vivant

A person with refined taste, especially one who enjoys superb food and drink.

I would extend this concept to other aspects of life, not only in terms of food and drink. I find similarities with what Voltaire expresses at the end of his classic text Candide:

"...let us cultivate our garden."

To 'cultivate our garden to serve our life purposes and goals' is something you find expressed in Yoga chakrass all over the world. It does have importance, since the word culture also means 'to grow (or cultivate)', 'way of life', 'art', and so on.

A good example of 'a way of life' in relation to 'life purpose' is Cicero's academic skepticism. As perplexing as it may seem it does still pursue moral excellence (or virtue) arguing that as many sides as possible of an argument must be viewed - in order to make an efficient case. This requires flexibility - of being able to shift ones point of view, if necessary.

What I have noticed is that those people I have come to like the most and who I most of the time consider my friends express this quality in some way or another. Those who dont I usually take pity of, or try to understand by shifting my point of view to resemble theres (as to hint at how underlining reasons and factors may or may not have contributed to this persons 'way of life').