Virtue?

2008 June 17
by Sam Freney

In Aristotle’s ethical thought, virtue is the golden mean between two extremes – generosity is virtuous, positioned between prodigality on one side and miserliness on the other; bravery is virtuous, positioned between the extremes of foolhardiness and cowardice.

This photo, I think, expresses perhaps more of the foolhardy side.

It was taken by Lori Mehmen in Iowa, tornado country (via Associated Press).

In the comments a number of people praise her presence of mind to capture the light, tighten the composition, hold the camera steady in low light, etc… while another remarks that true presence of mind might have been to head for the basement, pronto.

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