When I tell people that I am interested in ethics, to the point of going through the headaches and heartaches of getting a PhD in that topic, often the first question I get is “why?”
If you’re going to philosophize, why not something like epistemology, which is the study of knowledge and rationality, or philosophy of science? At least those have more direct applications when fighting the self-hating nerds and dorks on the internet.
If you think of ethics the way I used to, as the study of what you ought or ought not do, it’s pretty dry and boring stuff, I agree.
Discovering Aristotle’s ethics, and then giving Plato a second look, made the game change.
These two were not at all concerned with The Rules.
How a person acts does matter, sure, but conduct takes a back seat to why a person does what they do.
Virtue ethics doesn’t ask about rules. It asks about the person.
Who are you dealing with? What kind of person are they? What do they value and care about and hold most worthy?
That’s the real stuff of ethics. And you don’t get far into those questions without considering what kind of creature a human being is, why we’re here, and where we’re going.
You may scratch your head in wonder why a fitness guy is going on so much about things like this.
Firstly, I don’t even consider myself a “fitness guy”. I’m growing more disgusted with the very idea of being in fitness as each day passes. It’s a field of narcissists and fools motivated by vanity.
I talk about working out and nutrition as a gateway into a healthier, happier life by declaring war against the decay of age. I don’t know what that makes me, but some bro giving workout tips ain’t it.
But there is a more important reason.
Your success, or lack of, is 99% due to character.
For example:
Can you make a promise to yourself and keep it?
It’s shocking and disappointing how few people can.
If you’ve ever trained clients, you know exactly what I mean.
A healthy proportion of clients that trainers deal with are unable to keep their word to themselves. Possibly the majority.
They come to you hot and ready to get it done. Then a few weeks later when reality sets in, they second guess, waffle, drag their feet, and some will try to back out.
It’s low-class behavior and shows a character that is unable to commit to a goal and stick to it.
I won’t work with people like that. I spent too many years wasting my energy on people that had no intention of doing anything with it.
Not out of anger, you understand. While it is frustrating to deal with a never-ending circus of unserious people wasting your time, what makes it so sad is knowing that they aren’t ever going to get what they say they want.
They are lying to themselves and don’t have the courage to tell the truth.
I can’t help that person.
I used to believe I could, if I could just show them the more effective and efficient ways to get things done.
But it never works. Maybe 2 in 50 can make that leap. Not zero, but it’s dismally low odds.
This is why I warn everyone that integrity matters. Seeing what you want, without letting temporary “motivation” cloud your judgment, is crucial to getting anything achieved.
And still I get people in my inbox “looking for a workout”.
No.
This is not the place for you.
I want to repel people like that, which is one reason why I’m talking about high-concept philosophy. I don’t want those people coming into my world.
If you have the integrity to keep your own promises, the commitment to see them through, and the courage to be honest with yourself, then we can make fireworks.
If not, you need to spend your time examining what is in your own heart first.
You are lying to yourself. The longer you keep up the lie, the less likely you are to ever see through it.
I cannot pierce your delusions for you.
I tell you this: If you ever work with me and back out of a commitment by cancelling or asking for a refund, you’ll get it.
But you’re permanently blacklisted from my world. Burn me and you don’t get a second chance.
This isn’t Burger King where you get it your way. Getting it your way is why you aren’t where you want to be.
It isn’t personal. It’s just that I cannot help flakes. You should go back to watching reels on social media, unless you become one of the statistical few who gets your head and heart in the right place to make a real change.
I can’t make somebody care. But if you do care, and you can show it in your actions, we can talk about options for upping your game.
👉 Tap the link to see what I might could do for you
Matt Perryman