Means and ends

We've just been looking at Mill's Utilitarianism in class, and his idea that, in terms of happiness, means become part of the end (particularly with regard to virtues). I gave the analogy of someone taking up a sport in order to become healthy, who then finds they enjoy the sport for its own sake.

Thinking about this, I realise that I often do sporty things the other way around. For example, I recently took up capoeira because it looked like fun, found that it was indeed the most enjoyable martial art I've ever done, then realised that I needed to get healthy in order to do it well (the first session had me gasping for breath before we'd even finished the warm-up).

As a sign of my new resolution, today I drank fresh orange juice with nothing alcoholic in it, and ate a raw vegetable of my own volition.