Moderation: Difference between revisions
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== Moderation in Everything Means Everything == | == Moderation in Everything Means Everything == | ||
It is possible to become [[addicted]] to anything with the ability to bring [[happiness]]. This is especially true of [[spirituality]] and [[wellness]]. When you first start to choose a [[healthy]] lifestyle and focus on your [[well-being]], it makes you feel better, which is [[Salience|salient]]. When you connect with a [[community]] on a deep level and feel like a part of an [[in-group]], it gives you a rush of positive [[emotions]]. | It is possible to become [[addicted]] to anything with the ability to bring [[happiness]]. This is especially true of [[spirituality]] and [[wellness]]. When you first start to choose a [[healthy]] lifestyle and focus on your [[well-being]], it makes you feel better, which is [[Salience|salient]]. When you connect with a [[community]] on a deep level and feel like a part of an [[in-group]], it gives you a rush of positive [[emotions]]. It is very easy to become [[addicted]] to this [[feeling]] if there are not diverse alternative sources of [[reinforcement]]. For example, [[wikipedia:Orthorexia_nervosa|orthorexia]] is an eating disorder that results from an obsession with [[nutrition]]. Eating [[healthy]] is great. But obsessing over every single [[food]] choice to the point that other sources of [[happiness]] are neglected [[is bad]]. | ||
The same is true of [[religion]]. If your [[spiritual]] practice prevents you from participating in the [[Joy|joys]] of the [[secular]] world, you are not [[Enlightenment|enlightened]], you are [[addicted]]. While [[addiction]] to [[ritual]] or [[philosophy]] may be less unhealthy than [[addiction]] to [[drugs]], it can be equally annoying to your fellow humans. | |||
== The Video Virtues of Moderation == | == The Video Virtues of Moderation == | ||
Revision as of 22:13, 11 September 2024
It has been a well-known moral imperative for at least 3000 years that moderation is the key to happiness and well-being.
"Moderation in all things is the best policy." -Plautus, 250-184 bc; paraphrasing Hesiod, c. 700 bc
Moderation allows for indulgence in the great pleasures of life like food, sex, money, power, drugs and alcohol, while being aware of their potential for abuse and intentionally avoiding the temptation towards excess and addiction.
Political Moderation
Balance of Power is the principle of moderation applied to politics and economics.It is Yin and Yang. Opposing forces create a feedback loop that keeps either one from exerting authoritarian control.
Content Moderation
On any online platform with user-generated content, a robust, transparent, and fair content moderation policy is necessary to avoid trolling your way into becoming yet another extremist echo chamber outrage competition.
While it is a different usage of the word moderation, the effect of effective moderation is to moderate the collective consciousness of the users on that platform.
Check the wiki page for the content moderation policy for this wiki.
Make it Easy to be Moderate
To achieve moderation, it is easier to create an environment that incentivizes it rather than relying on willpower, which doesn't really exist.
Moderation in Everything Means Everything
It is possible to become addicted to anything with the ability to bring happiness. This is especially true of spirituality and wellness. When you first start to choose a healthy lifestyle and focus on your well-being, it makes you feel better, which is salient. When you connect with a community on a deep level and feel like a part of an in-group, it gives you a rush of positive emotions. It is very easy to become addicted to this feeling if there are not diverse alternative sources of reinforcement. For example, orthorexia is an eating disorder that results from an obsession with nutrition. Eating healthy is great. But obsessing over every single food choice to the point that other sources of happiness are neglected is bad.
The same is true of religion. If your spiritual practice prevents you from participating in the joys of the secular world, you are not enlightened, you are addicted. While addiction to ritual or philosophy may be less unhealthy than addiction to drugs, it can be equally annoying to your fellow humans.
The Video Virtues of Moderation
Every religion extolls the virtue of moderation so you might want to pay attention to what they are saying.