An Ancient Guide to the Good Life
Nikhil Krishnan reviews [[Susan Sauvé Meyer]]’s new abridgment, [[How to Flourish: An Ancient Guide to Living Well]], of [[Aristotle]]’s [[Nicomachean Ethics]], considering its strengths and limits: the original is terse, fragmented, and light on practical step‑by‑step guidance, but its focus on character, phronesis (good judgment), the role of habituation, and the higher status of sophia (scientific learning) remains powerful. Krishnan contrasts Aristotelian moral formation with contemporary appetites for rules and self‑help, noting how online communities such as [[AITA]] supply collective judgment where traditional tutors once stood. Drawing on personal readings and cooking anecdotes, he argues that moral development requires slow practice, wise companions, and upbringing rather than algorithms. The review honors Aristotle’s deliberate vagueness—space for life to fill—while acknowledging readers’ disappointment who seek quick fixes.