..... Personality can be divided into three categories, the first and last of which are extreme and immoral, with morality or superiority in the middle. Therefore, it is brave and hopeful to live between cowardice and recklessness; Generosity is between meanness and luxury; There is a noble spirit between laziness and greed; Between modesty and pride is modesty and prudence; There is no difference between secret and talkative; Humor between pervert and absurdity; There is friendliness and kindness between provocation and flattery; Between Hamlet's indecision and Don Quixote's impulsiveness is self-restraint (Section 7 of Ethics 1 Volume). -the original note). Therefore, the "appropriateness" of ethics or behavior is no different from that in mathematics or engineering; It means correct, appropriate and most effective to achieve the best effect.

However, the doctrine of the mean is not the average of the two ends that can be accurately counted, just like the middle term in mathematics; It changes with the changes of various situations in the environment, and only reveals itself to mature and flexible rationality. Excellence is the artistic accomplishment obtained through good training. We don't have it because we have morality or Excellence to behave correctly and reasonably. "People form these virtues because people take such actions" (Section 4, Volume 2 of Ethics). -original note); We do this again and again, and this is what we are now. Therefore, Excellence is not an act, but a habit: "human kindness is a function of the soul to achieve Excellence in a complete life;" ..... Just like a swallow or a sunny day can form spring, a day or a flash in the pan can't make people lucky. " (Ethics, vol./kloc-0, section 7. -original comments)

Youth is at an extreme age: "If young people make mistakes, it is always because of exaggeration or exaggeration." It is difficult for young people (and many old people) to get rid of one extreme without falling into the other. Because one extreme is easy to fall into the other extreme, negation is because of "overcorrection": hypocrisy always confesses too much, while humility flies on the edge of conceit. Plato said, "antisthenes's vanity, a cynical man, is looking out through the holes in his appearance! People who are aware of extremes will not give moral reputation to the golden mean, but to the opposite end. Sometimes, this is also good; Because if we know that we have strayed into the extreme, "we should count on the other end, … just like when people straighten uneven wood." (Ethics, Volume 2, Section 9. But unconscious extremists regard the doctrine of the mean as a heinous crime; They "push people in the middle position around; Brave people are called reckless by cowards, reckless people are called cowards, and so are other situations; ("Ethics" Volume 2 Section 8. Thus, in modern politics, liberals are called "conservatives" by radicals and "radicals" by "conservatives".

The "golden mean" in daily life

In daily life, some people are too materialistic, while others work too hard and make progress. Some people waste money excessively, while others are penniless. This is not a normal way of life. Just like a hand, it is abnormal to hold a fist all the time, and it is abnormal not to open it. It's normal to keep your fist free to curl. Therefore, the golden mean and justice are the golden mean. There are four suggestions on how to practice the "golden mean" in daily life:

First, don't work too hard: life can't be without work, so everyone can't help doing things. Of course you should be hardworking, but you should not work too hard. If you work too hard, you will be afraid of difficulties and hardships in the future, and you will not be able to persist for long. Therefore, most of the company's line numbers now have an eight-hour working system, and the daily working hours are from 8 am to 5 pm, which has a timeliness; Even there are not only holidays every week, but now there are "two days off every week", which is to ask us not to work too hard.

Second, don't be too happy to enjoy your desires: people can't live without material, and moderate material is an indispensable condition for maintaining life. However, some people indulge their five desires too much, eat delicacies, wear silks and satins, live in tall buildings and drive luxury cars. Excessive pursuit of material pleasures, even excessive waste, is like a deposit in a bank, which will be in debt one day, so Ford should enjoy it slowly and not overdraw.

Third, don't be too hard on others: when you get along with others, you should know how to treat others. The most important thing is kindness and consideration for others. Especially as a supervisor, you should "treat others with yourself" or even "be lenient with others and be strict with yourself". If you treat others harshly, or if you are too laissez-faire, it is not the way to treat others.

Fourth, don't be too proud of what you use: some people like to buy things for daily use, and they like shopping when they have nothing to do, and some people don't use them as famous brands. In fact, things can be used, just enough, not too extravagant and wasteful. Too much material is not necessarily good. The so-called "artificial material service", too much material is sometimes a burden.

The doctrine of the mean is actually Buddhism and Taoism, which means that in each of our lives, everything should not be too left and too right, too tight and too loose; Impartiality is "neutrality" So, what is the golden mean? There are four points:

First, don't work too hard.

Second, don't be too happy to enjoy your desires.

Third, don't be too hard on others.

Fourth, don't be too proud of using things.