Can a person become happy if he refrains from taking sides, making decisions, and pursuing clear objectives? Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) addressed this subject in his essay “On Moderation,” where he praises moderation as a crucial virtue. Montaigne defines “moderation” as the contrary to “extreme ideas and behaviour.” Thus, he is giving a subjective definition where “moderation” means the middle of the road between two points arbitrarily chosen. According to Montaigne’s definition, all strong desires and emotions are evil, or at the very least, counterproductive. He is calling for “moderation” in all areas of life because he regards all human passions as inappropriate. Montaigne equates “moderation” with “balance,” and then proclaims them universally good. It doesn’t matter what subject one is addressing, or which circumstances one is facing. If we take sides, we are “unbalanced” and ethically wrong. In his call for “moderation” and “equanimity,” Montaigne is invoking the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates (470-399 BC) and ancient Stoics such as Seneca (4 BC-65 AD) and Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD). Montaigne doesn’t even try to explain why “moderation” is better than passion; his ethical model is, to put it mildly, weird. Why does Montaigne consider a moderate liar more virtuous than a consistent truth teller? Is a moderate thief more virtuous than a man who consistently respects other people’s property? Instead of explaining the alleged benefits of “moderation,” Montaigne undertakes a fierce attack against “extreme actions” and “excesses.” He regards moderation as the key to serenity, well-being, and happiness, and employs historical anecdotes to prove his point. The problem is that, if we analyse those historical anecdotes impartially, we must draw the opposite conclusion. Instead of viewing “moderation” as a virtue, we bear witness that it often results from cowardice, confusion and indecision. Instead of a recipe for happiness, it is a recipe for anxiety. Montaigne praises Socrates as a practitioner of moderation, simplicity and self-control, but is it really true? Socrates’ death shows that his “moderation” was based on his inability to think clearly, escape Athens and go into exile. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/happiness-and-michel-de-montaignes-views-on-the-nature-of-truth/

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