Quote from Jon Smith:

"Conducive to life doesn't automatically mean good...it just means the way things are without needing to create the illusion of separation."

The way how things are naturally is what I call good.

"In the true light there is no friction. Everything flows. There are no barriers between us vs them, left vs right, false light vs darkness."

Yes, that's what I call the "low level of goodness": You just don't have any problems because nobody is making problems. The idea of heaven or paradise is based on this concept – just enjoy life, no need to think about problems and evil. It's the state of existence that good parents create for their children when they are young.

But there's also what I call the "high level of goodness", another term for it that everybody knows is "virtue".

Virtue arises when there is friction (violence, abuse, theft, slavery) and an action is taken such that the friction can be redeemed. Virtue requires courage and knowledge. It's the high level of goodness because it's often dangerous and can be very difficult.

Virtue is what makes the good life interesting and, if you have overcome the fear, even fun.

Read - The Republic, Plato, he says most of everything there I have to say about virtue,

In this venue anyway, there are more modern authors on the subject but he would be my main source.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_(Plato)

"The Republic (...) is a Socratic dialogue, authored by Plato around 375 BC, concerning justice, the order and character of the just city-state, and the just man. [...]

In the dialogue, Socrates discusses with various Athenians and foreigners the meaning of justice and whether the just man is happier than the unjust man. He considers the natures of existing regimes and then proposes a series of hypothetical cities in comparison, culminating in Kallipolis, a utopian city-state ruled by a class of philosopher-kings."

He still needs a government. Because, you know, people can't be good by themselves, they must be forced to be good. Do you really have nothing more to say about that?

Well, the whole point of the dialogue is, the just person (and it specifially INCLUDES female participation within adminstration and management) is that it does not matter if there is :spiritual higher authority" or not.

The just, "virtuus" behaviour has the benefit of peace of mind in doing the right thing. The unjust, unirtuous person can never have that peace of mind. They will always be fearful about being found out as a fraud,

Seeme pretty straight forward to me. Compared to Neitsche and companies insnae hateful putdowns and monolithic championing of false and unvirtuous behaviour.

I suspect Neitsche was insane from his teen years, being forced to appearin public with what looked suspiciously like a dead rat nailed to his upper lip. That would have done. He was definitely a raging loon by adulthood, in my opinion,

"The just, "virtuus" behaviour has the benefit of peace of mind in doing the right thing."

Peace of mind could also mean that you're doing the wrong thing and don't realize it. Also, psychopaths have peace of mind when they do bad stuff. That's why they are psychopaths.

So, can peace of mind or harmony really be the criterion?

"So, can peace of mind or harmony really be the criterion?"

The war between bene and mala, doing the right thing or the wrong thing, is fought every moment within many humans. And this is helpful.

You could say we were given the ability to judge for ourselves, and a position or activity can be questioned by the individual.

Life is a maze, there are many seeming "opportunities" that do not lead anywhere, and that is up to the individual to decide.

If you think of the heart as the "organ of truth", then that is perhaps the best guide in deciding what is the best thing to do. Or not do.

And it is OK to shift attitudes and practices. Warfare is mobile, and people really have to judge each situation as it arises. Much more flexible than having a set piece rule book.

Silk and steel are both very flexible, but very strong, as a metaphor.