In Aristotle’s "Nicomachean Ethics," he explores an idea very counter to our culture. Instead of relaxation being the end humans should seek, Aristotle claims that serious, virtuous action not consisting in amusements is the end. On a very practical level this resonates as true. The very existence of boredom, a desire to go back to school or uneasy discontent of a day spent doing nothing originates from a failure of humans to fulfill their purpose of serious action. If rest is pursued as an end and as the source of happiness, then work simply becomes an obstacle to get to happiness. Work no longer becomes meaningful, fulfilling or useful.
People who fall into this line of thinking tend toward procrastinating, apathy and laziness, and ultimately an unfulfilled life. Instead, action, or more specifically, serious action, is the end for which humans should strive. Studies show that humans are most happy when fully devoted to whatever action they are preforming. For example, if somebody is creating a painting, they will be much happier if they are thinking about their painting instead of thinking about all the things they have to do the next day. This idea directly corresponds with the idea of pursuing an action for no other end than the action itself.
The correspondence is also mirrored in the counter-examples for when this is virtuous. A person could watch hours of Netflix pursuing no other end other than watching Netflix, be thinking about nothing other than Netflix but still be causing more harm than benefit by neglecting their bodies and possessions. In contrast, a painting pursued for the sake of a painting, without neglecting body and possessions will be edifying, enjoyable, and fruitful if it obtains the painter’s full attention.
Regarding friendship, the virtue of the friendship can be judged by the activity of the friendship involved. Aristotle affirms that what seems honorable and virtuous to the base person is not in fact the most honorable and virtuous thing. To find the most honorable and virtuous action one has to look to what the most honorable and virtuous person is doing. Therefore, friendship for the sake of pleasant amusements involving no serious action is only virtuous to the “stupid and excessively childish” person.
A friendship should nurture a mindset devoted to study, understanding, and pursuit of truth in the form of good actions. That is not to say that a friendship should not be fun, enjoyable, or happy. Quite the opposite! As previously discussed, serious action is in fact the key to happiness. It only makes sense that a friendship mutually pursuing serious action will be the one to bring the most happiness and the most pleasure.
Aristotle’s "Nicomachean Ethics" gives us a thorough understanding of relaxation, activity and happiness. With these principles, the excellent person will be able to pursue study wholeheartedly with friends in order to increase in virtue and pursue the good, the true and the beautiful for that very end of themselves by allowing activity to be the ultimate end instead of relaxation.
