Virtues/Gentleness

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Introduction:

Gentleness is the virtue of doing your good with the least possible harm to others. [1] It is the decision to approach others from a stance of love—or at least benevolence—rather than indifference, or worse. Gentleness is courage without violence, strength without harshness, and love without anger. Gentleness is an inner peace that resists war, cruelty, brutality, aggressiveness, barbarism, coarseness, insult, violence, and other violations of another's sanctity.[2] Gentleness gains its strength from its steady and stable foundation. Gentleness is a constant strength born from serenity and patience that contrasts with the turmoil of outrage, wrath, vengeance, and violence.

At its core, gentleness is a way of thinking and behaving that respects the vulnerabilities inherent in ourselves and others, as it resolves to move forward and do good. It is actively responsive and protective, rather than adversarial, defensive, invasive, or passively submissive. When faced with abuse, gentleness asks ‘how may I respond with acceptance and caring in this situation?’ not ‘how can I hurt or destroy my enemy in the same way that my enemy hurts or destroys me?’[3]

Generosity keeps good company with other virtues, but remains distinct. Generosity seeks to do good while gentleness refuses to do harm, even in the name of being generous. Compassion seeks to reduce the suffering of others, gentleness refuses to cause suffering. When gentleness prevents suffering, it preempts the need for compassion.

Gentleness must not be confused with weakness. Although gentleness walks softly, it can also carry a big stick [4] as these examples illustrate. Employing non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for non-violence,[5] civil rights, and freedom across the world. More recently the nonviolent campaigns of Leymah Gbowee and the women of Liberia were able to achieve peace after a 14-year civil war. The 14th Dali Lama is a gentle person who guides us with his unwavering dedication to many peaceful social stances. Gentleness is not pacifism. Pacifism rejects the use of violence as a personal decision on moral or spiritual grounds. Gentleness pursues its mission with the least possible harm to others, but may selectively use violence to prevent greater violence. Peace is worth fighting for.

The Virtue of Gentleness

Gentleness is a virtue because harm is not. Gentleness is good because at its core it is the desire to promote the wellbeing of others.

For Aristotle, gentleness is the mean between irascibility and spinelessness. [6]

Everyday Gentleness

Practice the virtue of gentleness every day in these various ways:

Assignment

References

  1. ↑ from Comte-Sponville, André (2002). A Small Treatise on the Great Virtues: The Uses of Philosophy in Everyday Life. Picador. pp. 368. ISBN 978-0805045567. attributed to Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality, p. 163
  2. ↑ Comte-Sponville, André (2002). A Small Treatise on the Great Virtues: The Uses of Philosophy in Everyday Life. Picador. pp. 368. ISBN 978-0805045567.
  3. ↑ The Natural Inclusionality of Gentleness By Alan Rayner, 2012.
  4. ↑ Paraphrasing the popular quotation attributed to Theodore Roosevelt.
  5. ↑ Some question if Gandhi is truly non-violent, citing maltreatment of his own body and the displacement of mill workers. See, for example, The Natural Inclusionality of Gentleness By Alan Rayner, 2012.
  6. ↑ Comte-Sponville, André (2002). A Small Treatise on the Great Virtues: The Uses of Philosophy in Everyday Life. Picador. pp. 368. ISBN 978-0805045567.

Further Reading

Students interested in learning more about gentleness may be interested in the following materials:


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