C. S. Lewis and virtues--part 2

This blog is a continuation of the previous one, which was reflecting on four cardinal virtues pointed out by C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity. The second one has to do with temperance. Lewis points out that this is more than simply an anti-alcohol position, which most people might immediately think of, reflecting back to early 20th-century efforts to curb heavy drinking. Instead, he believes it refers to moderation or self-restraint in many areas of life.

There are many applications of this virtue. We should be temperate in our use of leisure time and money, our relationships with people, our language, our food and drink, our mental activities, etc.

So, how do we measure up as temperate people today? Again, it’s pretty easy to see that America has largely lost its ability of self-discipline. Look at our use of drugs, the booming pornography industry, our inability to keep out of debt, the rise of anorexia and bulimia, the fanaticism of many sports fans, the inordinate attention given to pets. I remember when the movie Titanic came out; many of my son’s friends talked about seeing the movie five or six times. The only reason I might have considered doing that would be to make sure that Leonardo DiCaprio was really dead at the end.