Blog post 2

Arete is what the ancient Greeks called the pursuit of perfection. Somebody in pursuit of arete has to try their very best in whatever they decide to do, and can never strive for anything less than excellence. In almost all cases, an individual will have to give up their happiness and pleasure to some degree in order to successfully pursue arete.

Some advantages that the pursuit of arete can have is a strong sense of accomplishment and belonging, one that cannot be bought with money and can only be attained through hard work and dedication. While sacrificing personal happiness, there's still redeeming qualities to arete. Arete revolves around recognition of your achievements by others, and being considered the best in one's chosen field.

In a life where personal pleasure and happiness are a priority, there is typically much less stress involved, and a diminished focus on others opinions. The only opinions that matter are your own. While this pursuit rarely leads to mastery in a particular field, it can lead to a more fulfilling life and one that has a stronger sense of identity.

Pursuing arete in life is significantly different than simply pursuing pleasure. Either way, somebody will experience pleasure and happiness if they are doing what they want to be doing.