VIRTUE AND GOOD ACTS
Human actions, ie those made knowing full well what one wants to do and willing to do it deliberately, are never indifferent. They are good or bad. And here is the problem, given that nowadays it's not always easy to know if an action is good or bad. There is in fact the prevailing philosophy of relativism which does not recognize the existence of an absolute reference to distinguish the goodness and badness of an action. A legitimate plurality of positions has given way to an undifferentiated pluralism, based on the assumption that all positions are equally valid. This is one of the more common symptoms of distrust the truth that is given to check in the contemporary context. Each one of us acts on what he believes to be his own good. We believe it, and sometimes it is also safe. But without absolute references how can we do? Technology is very important in the unification of the rules and measures. A silly example: without common technology standards, we would not be sure if the sockets of our appliances are appropriate for our home, or if the machines themselves can work. Why then in ethics and culture there's so widthespread lack of 'standard' references, as so widthespread and accepted are the conscience confusions and malfunctions caused by relativism? Even whie writing the word 'virtue' I seem to hear the laughters of some people. Rather than debating the meaning of the word, and deepening of meanings - if someone wants to better document, I report here below an index taken from Wilkipedia - then I would make a subjective reflection.

When an athlete is training himself it does so in order to achieve a certain result, and he repeats and repeats more the same actions to identify where he can get improvements, and he changes his behavior accordingly, to bulk up more and more. This is a typical virtuous behavior: at one point, however, onr can think that his training is superfluous, or slow down to tiredness. But woe to stop abruptly! Every athlete knows, too, I am a former judo fighter competitive in fifties sixties and seventies. Virtue therefore should be conquered, it requires sacrifice. Without obligation and will virtues do not exist, and to improve always effort is needed. While not excluding the fields of the ordinary and common practice of the virtues, as most significant example I mention here the opera singers, musicians, dancers, classical, sports, academics, and in general all those for whom the will and the exercise of the mind, of the body, or both aspects are essential to success.

The opposite of virtue is called 'vice'. Here, too, the subject repeats certain actions, such as drinking or taking drugs, but with very different results: one is condemned to slavery until no longer to be free, unable to give up bad habits, and in doing so he often condemns to suffering or death not only himself but also others who are in relationship with him. The vice and wrong an be recognized therefore by it's ease. As saying: "the road to hell is widthe and decorated with roses." Not always, however, the judgments can be so clear, because often things are blended and mixed, and diluted over time. However to deteriorate and let himseñf go is much easier than to improve.

Without an absolute reference do not think that one can distinguish whether a thought or an action are virtuous or good. The cardinal virtues are FORTRESS - JUSTICE - TEMPERANCE - PRUDENCE and To practice them iy doesn't take much big situations. All we would be capable of great things, but instead we face our daily life, that's normal, so that is trivial to a not virtuous eye. But nothing can exceed the heroic virtues of the mother who, perhaps after a day's work, she must think of the children and family members wellfare, day after day, year after year ..... and so forth. These people are very fond of, and so, for the sake of others, stand virtuous.
The absolute reference, my and many others, in the practice of human virtues are the tablets of the Law (the 10 commandments). Below version Catholic / Lutheran
Hear, O Israel! I am the Lord your God:

  • Thou shalt have no other god other than me
  • Thou shalt not say the name of God in vain.
  • Remember to keep holy the Sabbath.
  • Honor father and mother.
  • Thou shalt not kill.
  • Do not commit adultery.
  • Do not steal.
  • Do not bear false witness.
  • Do not covet your neighbor's wife.
  • Do not covet the property of others.

Not always it's possible, because we do our own idols - cars, money, fame, even our own work, our holidays and so on - that absorb us so much that we forget who we are. Sometimes one also neglects fpr them his duties to the family and the neighbor, and I will not say more.

But if one doesn't leave the weak thinking, giving importance to useless things, and leaves the relativism, our society certainly will not improve. To complete the orientation of the natural law with the Jesus' Gospel precepts, is also very important to understand what is love, even though none of us is perfect.