You’ve probably seen the movies or played the games. Brad Pitt chasing a serial killer in Se7en or maybe you've spent too much time in The Witcher dealing with moral gray areas. But honestly, the seven vices and virtues aren't just some dusty Catholic relic from the 4th century. They are basically the original personality test. Long before the Myers-Briggs or Enneagram, people were using this framework to figure out why they kept ruining their lives or how to actually be a decent human being.
It’s messy. Real life is usually like that.
The list we know today didn't just drop out of the sky. It was a slow burn of philosophical evolution. A monk named Evagrius Ponticus originally came up with eight "evil thoughts" while living in the Egyptian desert. He wasn't trying to be a buzzkill; he was trying to figure out why his mind felt so cluttered. Later, Pope Gregory I trimmed it down to the classic seven we recognize. These are the "Capital" vices—not because they're the worst things you can do, but because they are the "head" (caput) from which all other bad habits grow.
The Grime and the Glory: Breaking Down the Seven Vices and Virtues
Let's look at Pride versus Humility.
Pride is often called the "root of all sin." It’s not about feeling good because you nailed a presentation. It’s that deep-seated delusion that you are the sun and everyone else is just a planet in your orbit. Dante Alighieri, in his Purgatorio, described the proud as carrying massive stones on their backs, forced to look at the ground. It’s a bit dramatic, sure, but it captures the weight of an ego that won't quit.
Humility is the antidote. But it’s not about being a doormat. St. Augustine famously argued that humility is the foundation of all other virtues. If you think you already know everything, you can't learn. If you think you're better than everyone, you can't love. Humility is just... accuracy. It's seeing yourself as you actually are, without the Instagram filters.
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The Problem With Modern Productivity: Sloth vs. Diligence
We have a weird relationship with Sloth (Acedia) today. We usually think it just means being lazy or watching Netflix for ten hours straight. But the ancients saw it as something much scarier. To them, Acedia was the "noonday devil." It’s a spiritual apathy. It’s that feeling when you're busy all day but none of it matters. You’re "doomscrolling" through life.
Diligence is the virtue here.
It’s not just "grind culture" or waking up at 5 AM to drink a green smoothie. Real diligence is about persistence in the things that actually matter. It’s the parent who shows up every single night to read a bedtime story even when they’re exhausted. It’s the artist who keeps painting even when the work feels like trash. It’s a steady, quiet commitment to a purpose.
Greed, Charity, and the Economics of the Soul
Greed (Avarice) is a bottomless pit. You can never have enough. Research by psychologists like Paul Piff at UC Berkeley has actually suggested that as people get wealthier, their empathy can sometimes decrease. It’s like the "more" becomes a barrier between the person and the rest of the world.
Charity (Caritas) is the fix. It's often translated as "love," but not the romantic kind. It’s a self-giving love. In the 13th century, Thomas Aquinas spent a massive amount of time in his Summa Theologica arguing that charity is the "form" of all virtues. Without it, the other virtues are just cold rules. If you’re honest but don’t have charity, you’re just a jerk. If you’re disciplined but don’t have charity, you’re just a machine.
Why We Get Gluttony Wrong
People think Gluttony is just about eating too many tacos.
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Nope.
In the medieval view, you could be a glutton even if you ate very little, if you were obsessively picky about how it was prepared. It’s about the over-indulgence of any physical pleasure to the point where it controls you. It’s a loss of temperance. Temperance is the corresponding virtue—the "golden mean" as Aristotle called it. It’s the ability to enjoy a glass of wine without needing the whole bottle. It’s self-mastery. It’s freedom, really. Because if you can’t say no to your impulses, you aren't actually free; you're just a slave to your dopamine receptors.
Lust and Chastity in a Digital Age
Let’s be real: talking about Lust and Chastity feels outdated to a lot of people. But look at the explosion of "dopamine detoxes" and the "NoFap" movement. People are realizing that the hyper-commodification of sex and desire has a cost. Lust, in the classical sense, is the de-personalization of another human. It’s turning a person into a tool for your own gratification.
Chastity isn't necessarily about celibacy (unless you're a monk). It’s about integrity. It’s the idea that your sexual desires should be integrated with your whole self—your values, your commitments, and your respect for others. It’s about being "chaste" to your promises.
The Burn of Envy and the Peace of Kindness
Envy is the only vice that isn't any fun.
Think about it.
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Lust has its moments. Gluttony tastes good for a second. Even Anger provides a rush of self-righteous adrenaline. But envy? Envy is just pure, concentrated misery. It’s the "evil eye." It’s the pain you feel when someone else succeeds.
Kindness (Humanitas) is the direct opposite. It’s a genuine desire for the well-being of others. It’s being happy when your friend gets the promotion you wanted. It sounds impossible, but it’s actually a skill you can practice. The more you practice "mudita" (the Buddhist concept of sympathetic joy), the less room there is for the rot of envy.
Wrath and the Power of Patience
Wrath (Anger) is easy to spot. It’s the road rage, the Twitter wars, the screaming matches. But there’s also "cold" anger—the simmering resentment that lasts for decades.
Patience (Patientia) is the virtue that counteracts it.
Patience isn't just waiting; it’s how you act while you wait. It’s the ability to endure provocation without lashing out. In a world of instant gratification and "cancel culture," patience is basically a superpower. It allows for dialogue. It allows for the possibility that you might be wrong, or that the person who cut you off in traffic is having the worst day of their life.
How to Actually Use This Stuff
The seven vices and virtues aren't just for Sunday school. They are a diagnostic tool for your life. If you feel stuck, or if your relationships are falling apart, usually one of the vices is at the wheel.
- Identify your "Lead" Vice: Most of us have one or two that are our "favorites." Are you more prone to the "hot" sins like Anger and Lust, or the "cold" ones like Envy and Sloth? Be honest.
- Practice the Opposite: You don't get rid of a vice by just trying to stop. You replace it. If you struggle with Greed, start giving away small amounts of money or time. If you’re plagued by Envy, go out of your way to compliment someone who is doing better than you.
- Check your "Temperance": Look at your habits—phone use, eating, drinking, working. Where have you lost the "middle way"?
- Audit your Ego: Ask a trusted friend to tell you where you’re being Prideful. It’ll hurt, but it’s the only way to find Humility.
- Focus on Intentionality: Avoid the "Sloth" of the soul by doing one thing every day that has no immediate benefit to you but serves a higher purpose or helps someone else.
- Find a Community: It is almost impossible to build virtue in a vacuum. Surround yourself with people who actually care about being better, not just "successful."
- Forgive Yourself: You’re going to mess up. The goal isn't perfection; it's direction.
Virtue is like a muscle. It gets stronger the more you use it. Vices are like ruts in a dirt road; the more you drive in them, the deeper they get. The ancients knew that character isn't something you're born with; it's something you build, one choice at a time. Pick one virtue this week. Just one. And see what happens when you actually try to live it.