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THE FAMILY AND THE NATION
can scarcely be considered in isolation. A family is surely affected by the community and society in general. Can there be virtuous ideals in a family situation when virtue and vice exist together in the society? Indeed, for every family virtue, there exists a corresponding vice in society-for example, love your brother versus hate your neighbour, peace with your relative versus war with another community, and so on.
Are vices inevitable? The answer is yes. Vices are based on a behavioural foundation, namely, the instinctual dynamics of punishment. Rewards or leniency are punitively withheld in response to behaviour that is judged not suitably solicitous or submissive. There are three distinct groups of such punishments: (1) wrath-tyranny-persecution-oppre ssion generated vices; (2) evil-cunning-ugliness-hypocrisy generated moralistic vices; and (3) anger-hatred-prejudicebelligerence generated humanistic vices.
A good family life in general represents the mean value interposed between defect and excess of an individual and the society in which he exists, an aspect favouring moderation in so far as choosing the middle ground is concerned. Indeed, a good family positions itself against all vices of excess, mirroring point-for-point the hierarchy of the virtues. Pride or Flattery is moderated with Shame or Criticism; Vanity or Adulation with Humiliation or Ridicule; Conceit or Patronization with Mortification or Scorn; Pretension or Indulgence with Anguish or Mockery; Impudence or Envy with Insolence or Disdain; Arrogance or Jealousy with Audacity or Contempt; Impetuosity or Covetousness with Rashness or Reproach; Presumption or Longing with Boldness or Chagrin; and finally, Smugness or Affectation with Harshness or Bitterness.
The root of the problem is a supinedesire to get more, even after getting enough. This desire for more is an endless and directionless journey of discontentment. Infinite is the
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