How Do You Block Out the World to Focus on Virtue?
I find it really hard to stay focused on my values with all the distractions around me—social media, constant news, and everything else going on. How do you block out the noise and stay true to your morals? How can I focus on being a better person in such a busy world?
How does the world stop us from focusing on virtue? Some might think that virtue is just something you practice in a peaceful, quiet space, but I believe it’s not something that happens in a vacuum. Seneca said, "Nature does not bestow virtue; to be good is an art." This shows that virtue isn’t a passive gift—it’s something we need to work on, especially when faced with challenges.
Without the world pushing us, testing us, we wouldn’t know if we could truly be virtuous. In fact, Seneca also said:
"No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself."
If everything around us was easy and calm, we’d never have the chance to prove our strength, our character, or our moral courage. In a world full of distractions and obstacles, we have the opportunity to challenge ourselves and grow. It’s in facing the world’s challenges that we get to practice and prove our virtue.