Matt Self
10/10/06
George’s Failed Quest for Happiness:
An Aristotelian Analysis

George Costanza leads a life characterized by unhappiness and extreme emotions. He has few moments of happiness in his meek life that are usually followed by a fall of similar magnitude to George’s high of victory. George’s erratic emotions and momentary feelings lead his actions. Aristotle believed that a soul has a rational aspect-part of intellectual virtue-which is composed of practical wisdom and theoretical wisdom. George’s life seems to be deeply contrary to Aristotle’s belief due to his emotions ruling over reason. George also fits into Aristotle’s category of “the many”; these people are the majority, have poor reasoning abilities, and allow their emotions to dominate decisions in place of good judgment. Not only does he fit into this category, he is a poster-child for “the many.”

Aristotle also believed that the good life-what man seeks-is a life with actions based on the part of the soul that utilizes reason and expresses virtue. A good life is made through continuously doing right so that it becomes a habit. Virtue is a middle ground between two vices-one of excess and the other of deficiency; actions displaying reason, which helps find the middle, are virtuous. George’s life doesn’t indicate any sign of change, but rather one of staying only at the two poles of his emotions.

Aristotle taught that happiness is achieved when a man fully realizes that he has reason and that it should lead his decisions. A good life consists of a harmony between all parts of a person, coming from reason ruling over emotions and desires. Putting reason as a higher virtue over momentary feelings is the “Golden Mean” in Aristotle’s teachings. When a man’s actions coincide with virtue, he fulfills his natural tendencies and brings his life into harmony. With the “Golden Mean” in mind, it would be unreasonable to expect George to have a good life or happiness in his grasp. He doesn’t have a balance in his life between emotions and reason and so he cannot make good judgments and decisions.

George believes that his life is so unpleasant because he has bad luck rather than the true cause of poor decisions. He doesn’t view himself as responsible for what has happened to him, and so there is very little chance of him fixing it; he doesn’t recognize his bad decisions. Aristotle offers three ways to encourage virtuous action: avoid the more opposed extreme, avoid the easier extreme, and be careful with pleasures. To avoid the more opposed extreme means to stay away from the vice that contradicts the middle virtue more than the other. This is easy to do after a little examination of the two vices. However, to avoid the easier extreme is more difficult because people tend to move toward the easiest possibility that requires the least work; people need to display strength and will-power to resist the temptation of the easiest way out. Being careful with pleasures is often said through sayings like, “Too much of a good thing is bad.” People can overindulge and lose track of their priorities and what is truly important-permanent happiness.

Although George could change into a better person and find a good life, it seems highly unlikely because he has shown no sign or willingness to act virtuously. He can’t fix his mistakes because he doesn’t recognize them-yet another reason to examine one’s life regularly.

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