By: YS

YS — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 11:38:51 +0000

Thanks for this article, I only wish I read this a few years ago. I agree and never thought of this in that way. So many people that I know say the same thing “in moderation”. I even found myself convincing myself and friends. My mother says this all the time. But then she buys a huge box of donuts and so far has been eating 1 everyday, convincing herself she is eating in moderation. I cringe as I watch her destroy herself and can’t do anything about it (not just with a box of donuts). Thank goodness I’m vegan otherwise I will probably be eating those donuts too… What about the vegetarian who eats shrimp in moderation but still calls themselves vegetarian, a bit little different but that is one of my pet-peeves. I eat bread and exercising in moderation the bread every other day (possibly everyday) and excercising 2-5x a month. This is a bad habit that we created for ourselves and today I realized “in moderation” is a lie. Best

By: coyote

coyote — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:59:30 +0000

To accuse everyone who takes or advocates a moderate approach to any aspect of life of “copping-out” seems incredibly presumptuous to me. Some people may really want to become exceptional in some way and use a philosophy of moderation as an excuse to avoid putting in the work, sure. But plenty of other people don’t want to be particularly exceptional, at least not in ways that matter to you. Or they might find that physiological limitations require that they take a moderate approach to diet/exercise/whatever to avoid becoming injured or ill (including mental illness brought on by getting sucked into the all-or-nothing thought trap).
I, for one, don’t aspire to be a world-class athlete, to live only with what could fit in a backpack, to change the hearts and minds of thousands, or anything of that nature. I just want to be healthy, content, and a positive part of my community. Taking a moderate attitude to acquiring and practicing the habits needed to reach and maintain those goals keeps me from getting overwhelmed and burned out, and from wasting my time and energy on things that won’t matter to me or anybody else in 5 years. Does that make me mediocre and “weak” (as a commenter stated)? If so, I’m okay with that . If being considered mediocre and weak is the cost of making steady progress toward my goals while maintaining the stable framework of my life (which I find necessary for making any progress at all), I’m okay with that. It’s what works for me.
And sure, sometimes people do tell others to be moderate when they really mean “don’t change.” Sometimes change, especially when it’s driven by irrational “passion,” does have negative outcomes, either for the person who pursued the change or for those who have to pick up the tab and the pieces. People aren’t necessarily going to value others’ singular passions, and may resent, fear, or simply not be able to handle the emotional, financial, or logistical burden placed on them by having to deal with a person whose only focus is on being exceptional at something, regardless of the costs. Their time, interests, and feelings are valuable too.

Comments on: The Great 'Moderation' Hoax

By: YS

By: coyote