can understand what most people think of as “good” by looking at how they react to certain sayings. Suppose someone really believed that things like wisdom, self-control, justice, and courage were truly good. In that case, they wouldn’t find it funny or acceptable to hear jokes that mock those virtues—they’d feel it was inappropriate. But if someone believes wealth, luxury, and fame are what really matter, then they’ll laugh and agree with jokes that poke fun at the excesses of rich people. This shows us something important: even ordinary people know, deep down, there’s a difference between real goods and superficial ones—because the same joke doesn’t land the same way depending on what you value.
