In colloquial language, an effeminate man is a man who too much exhibits traits associated with women. And while being overly feminine in temperament can be a sign of effeminacy, in the scholastic tradition this is not what the word is intended to mean.
According to Aquinas, effeminacy is the vice of forsaking the good due to an inordinate attachment to pleasure. In other words, it is moral softness caused by indulgence. It is the inability to put aside what is pleasurable and easy in order to pursue what is good and worthwhile. According to Aquinas, effeminacy is a vice and it is opposed to the virtue of perseverance.
I think effeminacy is underappreciated as a problem, even in Christian circles. Indeed, I recall one Catholic blog calling effeminacy a 'forgotten vice'. And it is easy to see why in our times of unprecedented entertainment and distraction. I know I have been guilty of it on more occasions than I would like to count. Instead of spending my time in edifying study, or taking up physical exercise, or putting aside time for prayer; I have instead wasted countless hours playing video games, watching YouTube videos or lounging around doing nothing. Even though it is always in my mind that at any given time I could be accomplishing something of value, I have often instead shrunk from such aspirations out of an immediate preference for what is easy and pleasurable in the moment. This according to the angelic doctor is effeminacy and it is unbecoming of a Christian.
As for me, as a belated New Years' resolution, I take it upon myself to stamp this vice out from my life as much as possible. I want to put my time to good and worthwhile use. And while that does not mean cutting out all recreation from my life it does mean no longer allowing it to swallow up all of my free time. I have aspirations to learn multiple languages, to learn to compose music, to improve my physical health and of course to improve my spiritual standing before God. But to do these things I have to be willing deal with toil. I have to be willing to forsake immediate pleasures.
According to Aquinas, effeminacy is the vice of forsaking the good due to an inordinate attachment to pleasure. In other words, it is moral softness caused by indulgence. It is the inability to put aside what is pleasurable and easy in order to pursue what is good and worthwhile. According to Aquinas, effeminacy is a vice and it is opposed to the virtue of perseverance.
I think effeminacy is underappreciated as a problem, even in Christian circles. Indeed, I recall one Catholic blog calling effeminacy a 'forgotten vice'. And it is easy to see why in our times of unprecedented entertainment and distraction. I know I have been guilty of it on more occasions than I would like to count. Instead of spending my time in edifying study, or taking up physical exercise, or putting aside time for prayer; I have instead wasted countless hours playing video games, watching YouTube videos or lounging around doing nothing. Even though it is always in my mind that at any given time I could be accomplishing something of value, I have often instead shrunk from such aspirations out of an immediate preference for what is easy and pleasurable in the moment. This according to the angelic doctor is effeminacy and it is unbecoming of a Christian.
As for me, as a belated New Years' resolution, I take it upon myself to stamp this vice out from my life as much as possible. I want to put my time to good and worthwhile use. And while that does not mean cutting out all recreation from my life it does mean no longer allowing it to swallow up all of my free time. I have aspirations to learn multiple languages, to learn to compose music, to improve my physical health and of course to improve my spiritual standing before God. But to do these things I have to be willing deal with toil. I have to be willing to forsake immediate pleasures.
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