The Path of Moderation

Philosophy that people really follow is the one that they deeply think on and grok. As a way to live life, I believe in the Path of Moderation.

It is a chain of thought that I most wholeheartedly concur with. It is simple enough, but I like to use it in everything. Modern radical and extremist views might steer your mind to believe that being moderate is worse off than taking a side. Whether that is true or not is not something I can deduce, but join me as we explore the reality of the universe.

Also, this will be an ever-ongoing essay. I will continue to expand this topic in moods of heightened creativity and meditations.

Before I delve into the benefits of this philosophy of moderation, let me first clarify what I mean by moderation. Moderation is not simply the absence of extremes or the middle ground between two opposing views. Moderation is a deliberate and conscious choice to avoid excesses and deficiencies in any aspect of life. Moderation is a recognition of the limits and possibilities of human nature and the world we live in. Moderation is a respect for diversity and complexity, as well as a search for harmony and balance.

# The Reasons to Adopt Moderation

1. Being moderate makes you friendly and relatable with a wider group of people in the world. You can become a people’s person unforcefully, helping fulfilling the lives of not only yourself, but of the ones around you and spreading positivity. Let’s face it, we all could help a dose of happiness and positivity.
2. Being moderate makes you kind. Kind to your own body and mind. Kindness to living creatures is beautiful.
3. You don’t break relations with people over your thoughts and opinions. Being moderate, you learn to co-exist with others.
4. In the end, there is nothing more precious than life. Being simple and humble comes with being moderate. Moderation teaches us to value and cherish the gift of existence, and to appreciate the simple joys and wonders that life offers. Moderation also teaches us to be humble and grateful for what we have, and to avoid arrogance and greed that might harm ourselves or others.
5. Being moderate also helps you be rational by not making irrational decisions. This is because moderation allows you to consider multiple perspectives and factors before making a judgment or taking an action. Moderation prevents you from being swayed by emotions, biases, or impulses that might cloud your reasoning or lead you to regrettable outcomes. Moderation enables you to weigh the pros and cons of different options and choose the one that is most reasonable and beneficial for yourself and others.
6. “When you play all sides, you come out on top.” This thought suggests by being neutral or non-committal, one can avoid conflicts and emerge victorious. This is because by not aligning oneself with any particular group or ideology, one is able to avoid the pitfalls and drawbacks that come with taking a stance on a particular issue. In some cases, this approach may allow a person to gain advantages or benefits from multiple parties. This is seen as a CEO mentality, showing that hyper-successful people follow moderation.
7. Everything in nature follows the path of least resistance. “One who doesn’t go with the flow of the water doesn’t understand the size of the river.” We are a small speck in the universe, not the center, and don’t control the universe. Our sheer existence is something to be grateful of, we should be aware of our mortality, and remain on the path of moderation, flowing along.
8. The path of moderation covets simplicity. Sometimes, it’s worth not being overly analytical and academic to the point of taking away from the enjoyment of an activity.
9. One might believe that being moderate makes you very innocent, virgin and naive, but when you think about it, making your every moderation can make you a remarkably good manipulator. So don’t take it lightly, but take it as you will.
10. Being moderate gives you no weaknesses.

# An Exercise to Realise The Moderate Path in your life

• Humans are creatures of habit. We get in cycles of repetition, and that is life as well, a cycle. A way for self-reflection and introspection, to find out whether we are in a wrong and vicious cycle, is to take a broader view, look big picture.
• Secondly, I would like to bring up the idea of the butterfly effect. The butterfly effect rests on the notion that the world is deeply interconnected, such that one small occurrence can influence a much larger complex system. Now, just take yourself as a system. Each of your life’s occurrences and experiences are heavily bound on your actions, however small they may be.
• Now, hear me out. If you could take a bird’s eye view of your life, taking into account all of your actions, you would see that every path of life has some ups and downs. However fundamental may be the pushing force for a human - compassion, greatness, knowledge, etc., every clear direction that one can take has its consequences.
• Also, taking a stance towards any opinion or adopting a stereotype to define oneself has its own ups and downs.
• Understanding our impermanence on this world, there is no way to tell the best way for yourself without having lived them all.
• It is a common belief that understanding our own impermanence can help us to appreciate the value of life and to live it to the fullest. This is because knowing that our time on this earth is limited can help us to prioritize our actions and to make the most of the opportunities that come our way. However, it is impossible for any one person to have lived every possible path in life, and therefore it is impossible to say for certain which path is the “best” for any individual.
• The best path of life is ultimately a matter of personal preference and will vary from person to person. What may be the perfect path for one person may not be the right fit for another. This is because each individual has their own unique set of values, goals, and priorities, and what is important to one person may not be as important to another.
• In the end, the best path of life is the one that brings the most fulfillment and happiness to the individual. This may involve pursuing a career that is personally meaningful, forming strong relationships with others, or engaging in activities that bring a sense of satisfaction and joy. Ultimately, the key is to make the most of the time we have and to live our lives in a way that feels authentic and true to ourselves.
• Thus logically speaking, the moderate path is the best, leaving you the strongest in the end.
• In clear words, Let nothing define you, because everything is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
• A simple example is being an introvert or an extrovert. Simply accept neither as defining you. Then you internalise what that means for you and enjoy the benefits of both sides ☺️. Mentally, this can be a very strong and liberating exercise.

# A Thought Experiment on the Moderate Path

# Introduction

In this section, I would like to invite you to join me in a thought experiment that will demonstrate the value and the strength of the moderate path in life. The moderate path is the one that avoids extremes and seeks balance and harmony in all aspects of life. It is the path that I believe can bring the most fulfillment and happiness to anyone who follows it.

But why do I believe this? And how can I convince you of this? To answer these questions, we need to first understand some key concepts that are relevant to our topic. These are habit, cycle, self-reflection, and introspection. Habit is the tendency to repeat certain actions or behaviors without conscious thought. Cycle is the pattern or sequence of events that recur regularly and usually lead back to the starting point. Self-reflection is the process of examining one’s own thoughts, feelings, and actions. Introspection is the process of looking inward and observing one’s own mental states.

These concepts are important because they help us to evaluate our current situation and to make changes if necessary. They also help us to take a broader view of our life and to see the consequences of our actions and choices. This is what we will do in our thought experiment. We will use these concepts to imagine different paths of life and to compare them with the moderate path. We will see how the moderate path is the best and the strongest path for anyone who values fulfillment and happiness in life.

# Premises

The first premise of our thought experiment is that humans are creatures of habit. We tend to get into cycles of repetition, and that is life as well, a cycle. We do certain things because we are used to doing them, or because we think they are good for us, or because we enjoy them. Sometimes, we do not even question why we do what we do, or whether there are better alternatives.

The second premise of our thought experiment is that the world is deeply interconnected, and that one small occurrence can influence a much larger complex system. This is known as the butterfly effect. The butterfly effect rests on the notion that a small change in one part of a system can cause a large change in another part of the system, which can be unpredictable. For example, a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil can cause a tornado in Texas.

The third premise of our thought experiment is that every path of life has some ups and downs. No matter what direction we choose to take in life, there will be some benefits and some drawbacks. There will be some joys and some sorrows. There will be some successes and some failures. There will be some risks and some rewards.

The fourth premise of our thought experiment is that it is impossible for any one person to have lived every possible path in life, and therefore it is impossible to say for certain which path is the “best” for any individual. The best path of life is ultimately a matter of personal preference and will vary from person to person. What may be the perfect path for one person may not be the right fit for another. This is because each individual has their own unique set of values, goals, and priorities, and what is important to one person may not be as important to another.

# Inferences

Being moderate does not mean being boring or indecisive. It does not mean compromising or settling for less. It does not mean giving up or quitting. It means being smart and wise. It means being kind and compassionate. It means being strong and resilient.

By being moderate, we become strong and resilient. We can cope with challenges and difficulties without losing hope or motivation. We can overcome obstacles and setbacks without giving up or quitting. We can face uncertainties and risks without being afraid or anxious.

By being moderate, we can improve our relationships with others and ourselves. We can communicate better with different types of people by being moderate. We can understand and empathize with different perspectives and opinions by being moderate. We can appreciate and respect different preferences and needs by being moderate. We can also develop a more balanced and healthy self-image by being moderate. We can accept and appreciate our strengths and weaknesses by being moderate. We can also grow and improve ourselves by being moderate.

By being moderate, we become flexible and versatile. We can adjust our behavior or attitude according to the context or situation. We can appreciate different perspectives and opinions without losing our own. We can learn from different experiences without being attached to them.

By being moderate, we become kind and compassionate. We can treat others with respect and dignity by being moderate. We can avoid conflicts and misunderstandings by being moderate. We can foster trust and cooperation by being moderate.

By being moderate, we become smart and wise. We can make informed decisions by being moderate. We can avoid biases and emotions by being moderate. We can solve problems and conflicts by being moderate.

By being moderate, we become fulfilled and happy. We can enjoy the benefits of every path without suffering from their drawbacks. We can adapt to different situations and circumstances without compromising our values or principles. We can make informed decisions without being influenced by biases or emotions. We can define ourselves without letting anything define us. We can appreciate life without being limited by labels or stereotypes. We can fulfill our potential without being restricted by fears or doubts. We can be happy without being dependent on external factors or conditions.

# Conclusions

Based on these premises, we can draw the following conclusion: The moderate path is the best and the strongest path for anyone who values fulfillment and happiness in life.

Why do we say this? Because the moderate path is the one that allows us to enjoy the benefits of every path without suffering from their drawbacks. The moderate path is the one that enables us to adapt to different situations and circumstances without compromising our values or principles. The moderate path is the one that empowers us to make informed decisions without being influenced by biases or emotions.

The moderate path is also the one that does not let anything define us, but rather lets us define ourselves. By being moderate, we do not limit ourselves to any labels or stereotypes that may restrict our potential or identity. We do not let anything control us or dictate our actions or choices. We do not let anything become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Instead, by being moderate, we become flexible and versatile. We can adjust our behavior or attitude according to the context or situation. We can appreciate different perspectives and opinions without losing our own. We can learn from different experiences without being attached to them.

By being moderate, we become strong and resilient. We can cope with challenges and difficulties without losing hope or motivation. We can overcome obstacles and setbacks without giving up or quitting. We can face uncertainties and risks without being afraid or anxious.

I believe this philosophy sits well in the popular beliefs of stoicism. Thus, following such a path in life would be honorable and meaningful. I also believe that these traits are the hallmark of a strong individual, and would love to meet people sharing similar beliefs, or showing a passion in this stream of philosophy.