In an age where everyone’s got a “take,” being decent is starting to feel… radical.So let’s talk about virtue — that quiet, untrendy little thing that refuses to die, even in a world addicted to outrage.
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OF COURSEEE!! there are so many things to be outraged about but If you ask me, I think there’s a lot of outrage about the wrong things. In a world where it isn’t cool to be seen as going against the grain, it will take a lot of courage for one to be virtuous in 2025.
The Courage to Look Foolish
The ancient philosopher Epictetus once said:
“If you wish to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.”
Translation? Sometimes doing the right thing makes you look dumb.
To be virtuous or virtue isn’t trending on TikTok.It doesn’t clap back, subtweet, self-promote, or drop a hot take for likes.It’s showing up — quietly, consistently.Choosing empathy over ego.Choosing silence over spectacle.Doing what’s right when no one’s watching — and especially when no one’s clapping.
In a world obsessed with optics, that kind of behaviour feels almost rebellious.Virtue today is countercultural.It’s not sexy. Not shareable. Definitely not sponsored.
Doing right rarely feels like victory. It feels ordinary. Invisible, even.Yet over time, it builds something no money, follower count, or hyper-glossed filter can buy: peace.
In 2025? Peace is rarer than a good Wi-Fi signal in Zone 2 — and infinitely more luxurious.
Culture Check: To Greta, To Meghan… and (sigh) To Kemi
Language evolves. So do we.
Once upon a time, to Beckham meant to bend it.To Kardashian meant to contour — both your face and your moral compass.
But in this era of midlife rebellion, it’s time to update the dictionary.
To Greta (v.)To rebel with purpose.To call out the madness.To plant both feet on solid ground while everyone else performs compliance.
“I’m feeling a little Greta today.”Translation? Too seasoned to fake it. Too tired to stay quiet.
To Meghan (v.)To master the art of quiet revenge — with a side of grace.
“She pulled a Meghan,” we whisper, admiring the woman who wins without a press release.That’s not pettiness. That’s strategy. That’s a PhD in peace.
To Kemi (v.) — use sparingly.Definition: A middle-aged Black woman who’s misplaced her Black sensibilities somewhere between Parliament and performative politics.Exhibit A:
We see you, sis. But we don’t claim you.On behalf of the Midlife Nigerian-British Ladies Association, London Chapter — we’d like to respectfully leave the WhatsApp group.With love, light… and mostly shade.
Midlife Reckoning: Gatekeepers at the Gate
Let’s have a word, Gen X.
We can’t all be gatekeepers when the gate’s hanging off its hinges and the keys are lost in a group email.Too many of us are still playing the “one-in, one-out” game — clutching our hard-won seats like scarcity is a virtue.
We make noise on International Women’s Day, then hoard the mic for the rest of the year.Time to evolve.
The Millennials and Gen Z girlie dem? They collaborate.They build. They DM each other — not for gossip, but for growth.
Real power isn’t about keeping others out.It’s about knowing your worth and creating space without fear of disappearing.
Midlife isn’t about proving yourself anymore.It’s about owning your stage — and knowing exactly when to step aside.
You don’t need to overschedule or overperform to be seen.You are the résumé. You are the reference.You’ve already earned your seat.
Be Greta when the truth needs a spine.Pull a Meghan when grace needs a face.And when life starts to feel like a badly run UN session?Log off. Pour something strong. Exit with quiet dignity.
Save this one for your next meltdown, existential crisis, or WhatsApp group implosion.And if it hits home, pass it on — because someone out there is learning, like the rest of us, that sometimes…
The loudest move you can make is silence.
If these musings and others made you laugh or think, or even if you didn’t feel anything which i highly doubt not to toot my own horn…Like it. Comment, Re-stack it. Re-share it. Subscribe if you haven’t already and if you have considered moving up to paid on my substack as your girl would appreciate the coins.
Hit me up in the comments,
Love,
Ari x
