Patience ? A New Virtue

There is this phrase that I've said over and over again since about 1997. It probably started earlier but I never put it to words/chat until Ultima Online and that is this:

Patience is a Virtue... not endorsed by Lord British but SHOULD be!

This is something that has stuck with me for decades. It's probably why I am sometimes a little too complacent while listening to people and sometimes seem aloof. As a parent it has helped me out considerably! How?

It's because (somehow) I'm able to endure and evaluate situations and different perspectives that embody an experience/event/something. I enjoy taking it in and appreciating it. Odd right? Anyways...

Is there anyway to add this as a new Virtue or at least a path that we can follow?

 

Seconded here.

 

It is actually part of a virtue system, not in a LB game though. See <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_virtues#Seven_heavenly_virtues">seven virtues</a>. :<em></em>)

The cardinal Ultima virtue system for the most part deals with outward virtue, or behavior towards others. The major exception is Spirituality, although others like Humility can count if put in the proper light. Other virtue systems, like the one referenced above, are more about inward virtue, and the state of one's own soul. The Gargish virtues are more along this line -- Control, Passion, and Diligence; its a very stoic system. Serpent Isle virtues are more of a mix.

I guess it depends on what type of virtue system is being planned for the game.

 

Aye it kind of is already implemented in the Seven Virtues. I got a response from Richard Garriott via Twitter:

<i>@RichardGarriott - @RelExpo #Virtues Many virtues can be derived from combinations of others. We should start a thread of new proposals!</i>

I had been thinking Patience would be a merging of Humility and Compassion. What other variations are there? I was reading about the Eight Virtues and here's an excerpt from it:

<i>I started with a whiteboard and wrote down all of the virtues and vices I could think of, the seven deadly sins, many, many others. Obviously I wanted to talk about a few of these, but I couldn't address them all."

"As I did more research, I began to notice things like greed and envy would have some overlap, so I needed to create a core set. You can easily split them up into virtues and vices, and eventually arrived at three primary aspects, which became the principle virtues of Truth, Love and Courage. Truth became Honesty, Love became Compassion, Courage became Valor, and I created the eight possible combinations of these three. Truth tempered by Love became Justice, Love and Courage became Personal Self-sacrifice, Courage and Truth became Chivalric Honor. Truth Love and Courage was kind of arbitrary, so I thought, "What is the all-encompassing virtue?" I said, "Spirituality," whether or not you're doing good or bad deeds in the world."

"And what if you do none of the above? If not being virtuous is part of your psyche, I call it pride. Pride is not a virtue, so I decided to use the opposite, Humility. Since the eighth combination created a non-virtue, I began to create bits of pseudo-science I was pretty pleased with."</i>

 

@RelExpo,

Nice, where is that excerpt from?

If I were to give a suggestion, I would propose additional focus where I suggested the traditional Ultima virtue system is lacking; on inward virtue and not just outward virtue.

Patience is a good start, and a good example of an inward virtue. Patience doesn't just mean patience towards others -- it starts with patience towards yourself, thus the prayer "Forgive us our trespasses; as we forgive those who trespass against us." Patience helps you be Compassionate, Honorable, Honest, Just, and so on.

The others on that list are also good examples.

 

This is a another inward virtue I think is important:

Integrity

While Honor is about keeping a code of behavior with others, Integrity is about keeping to your own principles and not giving them up for expedience.

 

@redfish It's from http://ultima.wikia.com/wiki/The_Eight_Virtues under the "Real Life Development" section.