The ultimate goal for our actions on the earth is happiness. But happiness has more to it than mere pleasure. It must also be based in nobility. There is a saying from my generation,”If it feels good, do it.” but that is a slippery slope. Looking at pleasures in a way that gives us tunnel vision, with no consideration for how it may affect our our overall well-being is a detriment to our lives. This view must also be applied in a broad sense to a culture. And a culture begins with how we educate our children.

Aristotle quoted an actor who said it was best to be the first on on stage because the crowd’s first exposure is the one that they love best regardless of the skill. When teaching our children, it is best not to expose them to debauchery and crudeness because we don’t want it to become a part of their inner foundation. Once they have nobility and goodness established their lives, the crude things in life can be entertaining, yet not a part of their character. The shock factor comes into play. When the morality we hold dear is challenged, there is a certain thrill involved. It takes more to shock a person of poor character. To be entertaining and dramatic to a someone, the greater the contrast, the greater the thrill. In this sense, a person with good character has potential to enjoy life better as long as he doesn’t become judgmental or upset his foundation.

There are extremes to everything and we still don’t want a culture to become desensitized by its entertainment. There is a certain dynamic concerning people and a culture where they need to go out to explore and yet keep their base solid. In art and music, a person with a strong foundation will have quality in their creative endeavors. Creativity and logic need each other to work properly. With common core education today there is a focus on creative reasoning and some of the logical rules aren’t hammered in to the extent some people would like. Morality, math and writing must start with rigid rules and repetitions and yet they come to life when creativity is added. The point where we think we have the rules down is really what is up for debate at times. In everything, we have to occasionally sharpen the saw and go back to the basics before heading out on the next adventure.