Gratitude – ancient wisdom meets modern science

An attitude of gratitude might sound trite, but these common findings by research psychologists reveal it to be the wellspring of virtues like honesty, selflessness and loyalty. You don’t have to be an ascetic monk or philosopher practicing virtuous behaviour to become a more decent, upstanding person. Simply cultivating a sense of gratitude on a daily basis will render you a better person, the latest research reveals. Socrates himself coined the phrase, “The unexamined life is not worth living,” at his trial for impiety and corrupting youth – for which he was sentenced to death. Socrates chose death over living a shallow life of hubris, but today we can enjoy a richer, more fulfilling existence without paying the ultimate price. Neatly summed up, gratitude nudges people to repay debts and; “doesn’t let people forget that they must accept some future sacrifice to benefit a past benefactor”. In other words, exercise self-control to resist temptations of immediate gratification that came at the cost of larger benefits in the future. It seems gratitude is no longer a question of belief or religion, but empirically proven to work. Check out these findings by cutting edge psychologists. This story courtesy of Aeon . – Chris Bateman For the Ancient Greeks, virtue wasn’t a goal in and of itself, but rather a route to a life well lived. By being honest and generous, embodying diligence and fortitude, showing restraint and kindness, a person would flourish – coming to live a life filled with meaning and finding an enduring, as opposed to ephemeral, happiness. Today, that view hasn’t much changed. While we hear plenty of stories of celebrities, politicians and even our neighbours finding fleeting pleasure through self-gratification, dishonesty or hubris, we can also see the ‘other shoe’ eventually drop, leading to despair, social rejection […]

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