Is Eudaimonia Selfish?
When I first started Eudaimonia Clothing, the concept of eudaimonia—this ancient Greek ideal of "flourishing" or "living well"—felt like the perfect representation of what I wanted the brand to stand for. But there’s a question that’s come up more than once: Is eudaimonia selfish? At first glance, it might seem that way. After all, it’s about personal fulfillment, right? About reaching our fullest potential and becoming the best version of ourselves. But as I’ve dug deeper into the roots of the idea, I’ve realized that it’s much more than that—and it’s anything but selfish.
In the teachings of Aristotle, where the concept of eudaimonia originates, living well isn’t about accumulating personal wealth or indulging in every desire. Instead, it’s about aligning your life with virtue—pursuing wisdom, courage, justice, and moderation. It’s about finding balance, not just within yourself, but in your relationships with the world around you. It’s realizing that to truly flourish, we must contribute to something bigger than ourselves.
From a Stoic perspective, eudaimonia is about living in harmony with nature and the natural order of the universe. It’s not about putting yourself first at all costs. Instead, it’s about understanding that your personal fulfillment is deeply connected to the world around you. Stoicism encourages us to practice virtues like kindness, empathy, and fairness—not because they directly benefit us, but because they’re the right thing to do. And through these virtues, we achieve a deeper sense of well-being, one that goes beyond self-interest.
In my own journey with Eudaimonia Clothing, I’ve come to see that eudaimonia is far from selfish. In fact, it’s a call to look beyond yourself. It’s about striving for personal excellence while considering how your actions impact others. This is something I hope to reflect in the brand as well: a balance between personal growth and collective good. When we talk about flourishing, it’s not just about individual success; it’s about creating a world where we can all thrive—where our choices, our values, and even our purchases contribute to something meaningful.
The truth is, in our society, self-care and personal development are often framed as solitary, even self-indulgent pursuits. But in the ancient philosophical sense, flourishing isn’t just about me. It’s about us. It’s about how we live, the way we treat others, the care we show for the environment, and the legacy we leave behind.
So, no, eudaimonia isn’t selfish. It’s holistic. It’s personal growth intertwined with a sense of responsibility to others and the world. And that’s what I want Eudaimonia Clothing to embody—this deeper connection between our individual journeys and the collective experience.
Ultimately, true fulfillment comes when we align our lives with something bigger. Eudaimonia is about realizing that we flourish not despite the world around us, but because we’re deeply connected to it.