Week 8, Post 1: The Golden Mean Is Supreme

On page 286 of Chapter 21, Aristotle's golden mean is described as "the virtue of moderation; the virtuous person develops habits that avoid extremes" (286). Aristotle suggests that speakers should err on the side of caution regarding telling the truth, taking risks, and self-disclosure. We should not go to either extreme. When telling the truth, we should not be so honest that it ends up being offensive. We also should not lie. Instead, we need to just be truthful. When the issue is self-disclosure, there is no need to bare our soul and tell every single tearful detail. At the same time, we shouldn't be too secretive; the straight facts are sufficient. When the issue is risk-tasking, we need to act with courage. We should not be cowards but we also shouldn't be reckless.

When you think about it, the golden mean is the best way to persuade people. Obviously, lying to people is not a good idea! When they find out you've lied, they definitely won't believe you anymore. Secrecy isn't good either. People don't like when information is withheld from them. Cowardice means you skirt around the issue and don't address it and people don't like that either. On the other end of the spectrum, brutal honesty can put people off. It can even be hurtful and lack tact. Honesty is great but there is a boundary that shouldn't be crossed. Soul-baring can also put people off. A man giving a speech may not want to start crying while giving away too many emotional details. Honestly, some viewers may see him as weak. There has to be some restraint when self-disclosing. Recklessness is dangerous. A speaker should have courage but not to the point that he teeters over the edge of assertiveness. When I listen to speakers now, I will start paying attention to see if they are following the golden mean!