The Necessity for Self-Control

By: Lanisha Porter

It is important for everyone to practice self-control and know when to say no to themselves. The body has a way of urging us to often honor lower goods and worldly pleasures. If we always indulge in what may seem like immediate goods we will struggle to know the real higher goods of life.

For instance, if we continue this hook-up culture where we constantly have sex without any emotional meaning behind it, we will abandon the need to nurture long-term commitments and eventually see the all-important-family-unit become broken and dysfunctional. Ultimately, I believe casual sex demoralizes the purpose of finding a life partner and once this happens we will continue to see concentrated areas of poverty, underdeveloped communities not supported by strong family institutions, and see a rise of degenerate members in society. If one doesn't have discipline they will never know the higher offering of true love and relationships built on virtues and not lust.

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Same thing with a person who doesn't value the power of reading. For many, reading can be monotonous and rather un-stimulating. But if you never discipline yourself to read routinely you miss the chance to unlock chambers of your imagination, and spark innovation which are all higher goods.

Even with food and drink it is not good to partake in every craving. This can lead to chronic health problems when one consumes too much sugar, sodium, grease, alcohol, etc.,. I think people could achieve higher goods when we simply discipline our will-power. I know it's not easy hence why higher goods are harder to attain than lower goods. Higher goods are higher maintenance because they require you to self-reflect, create boundaries, practice consistence, and most importantly require the ability to delay gratifications. Whereas the lower goods don't call for any delays of self-pleasures, discomfort or perseverance. Everything is immediate, easy and familiar.

Concisely, when one does not control or regulate their pleasures, it then becomes hard to control their end.