Immanuel Kant’s Kingdom of Ends, where every person is treated as an end in themselves, I found myself drawn to the concept of virtues as something dynamic and alive. A mist that flows through us rather than qualities we permanently possess. Inspired by a Finnish word virtaus, flow.

Aristotle believed that eudaimonia, the ideal state of flourishing, was achievable only through personal development, moral education, and a structured society. A society where individuals had specific roles and levels of access to resources. For Aristotle, this meant that those positioned within the upper social hierarchy, had access to mentorship and resources, and could therefore actualize their potential.