Focusing on Virtues

Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor from 161 to 180 CE, was an adherent of the Stoic philosophy, which I would summarize as valuing our limited time of Earth, and making ourselves the best people possible by focusing on long-term virtues rather than short-term pleasure.

What he wrote here couldn’t apply more directly to current-day American society.  We seem to have lost our minds when it comes to virtues like compassion for others, reason, justice, and, above all, long-term sustainability.