Daily Stoic Week 46

The Daily Stoic

The Practicing Stoic

Meditations

How to Be a Stoic

If you have anger issues, this one is a great tool (h/t mindyourbusiness)

What I’m currently reading:

Disclaimer: I’m not your Supervisor. These are my opinions after reading through these books a few times.

November 19

“For any challenge we should hold three thoughts at our
command:

‘Lead on God and Destiny,
To that Goal fixed for me long ago.
I will follow and not stumble; even if my will
is weak I will soldier on.’”—CLEANTHES

“Whoever embraces necessity count as wise,
skilled in divine matters.”—EURIPIDES

“If it pleases the gods, so be it. They may well kill me, but they
can’t hurt me.”—PLATO’S CRITO AND APOLOGY

—EPICTETUS, ENCHIRIDION, 53

I do what I do. If it doesn’t work out, I try not to get angry at the universe. Some people have interpreted this attitude as fatalism. Stoicism does not tell me to not do things, just don’t get upset if things outside of my control go against me. I hope that my life goes well and am taking steps to increase the odds in my favor, but there is no guarantee one way or the other.

 

November 20

“If you’ve seen the present, you’ve seen all things, from time immemorial into all of eternity. For everything that happens is related and the same.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 6.37

“History Does Not Repeat Itself, But It Rhymes”- Mark Twain (maybe) What our government is doing to its people and the value of money is nothing new in the history of the world. When things happen in my life, the same thing has happened to people since the dawn of time. It is easier to accept bad things happening when I know that I am not the first, nor will I be the last with this particular problem. Reading history has shown me people are still people regardless of the technology we have now.

 

November 21

“A good isn’t increased by the addition of time, but if one is wise for even a moment, they will be no less happy than the person who exercises virtue for all time and happily passes their life in it.”
—CHRYSIPPUS QUOTED BY PLUTARCH IN MORALIA: “AGAINST THE STOICS ON COMMON
CONCEPTIONS,” 1062 (LOEB, P. 682)

This quote is a little confusing. If I do the right thing, I get the same reward as someone who has been doing it longer. In the long run consistency will lead to better long term results, but in the short term, the feeling is the same. There is no reason to not start today, since the rewards will be there.

 

November 22

“Fortune falls heavily on those for whom she’s unexpected. The one always on the lookout easily endures.”
—SENECA, ON CONSOLATION TO HELVIA, 5.3

If I am ready for a bad event to befall me, then I will only have to deal with the event and I will not compound it with my shock and sorrow about what has happening. I have tried to imagine what would happen if I lose my job or my house. I hope these mental exercises will help me deal with misfortunes that are bound to come my way sooner or later.

 

November 23

“In short, you must remember this—that if you hold anything dear outside of your own reasoned choice, you will have destroyed your capacity for choice.”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.4.23

If I am a slave to things I have no control over, the I will waste a lot of time and energy stressing about things that I can do nothing about. I could get sick, lose my job, lose my house, and everything else that currently is important to me. If I can learn to deal with setbacks of this magnitude, minor inconveniences will be easy to deal with.

 

November 24

“Whenever you experience the pangs of losing something, don’t treat it like a part of yourself but as a breakable glass, so when it falls you will remember that and won’t be troubled. So too, whenever you kiss your child, sibling, or friend, don’t layer on top of the experience all the things you might wish, but hold them back and stop them, just as those who ride behind triumphant generals remind them they are mortal. In the same way, remind yourself that your precious one isn’t one of your possessions, but
something given for now, not forever . . .”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 3.24.84–86a

Passages like this are often used to criticize the Stoics. A surface level reading makes it sound like they want me to keep a distance from others and not get too attached. It is really trying to prepare me for one of the most difficult human experiences. My wife will not live forever. Neither will my parents or my brothers. When any of these people are gone, it will be devastating for me. While I will mourn, the understanding that this is a part of life that happens to everyone will help me to not wallow in the grief, but be able to live well without them.

 

November 25

“As for me, I would choose being sick over living in luxury, for being sick only harms the body, whereas luxury destroys both the body and the soul, causing weakness and incapacity in the body, and lack of control and cowardice in the soul. What’s more, luxury breeds injustice because it also breeds greediness.”
—MUSONIUS RUFUS, LECTURES, 20.95.14–17

I understand the sentiment, but I would not willingly choose to be sick or injured. What I was able to do during my spell of 2 months being couch bound was work on my anger at the situation and my gratitude that my wife was able and willing to take care of me. I also see how my current level of living has made me soft in a lot of ways.

 

Music today is from a German metal band, Blind Guardian.

I only hve one of their CD’s Imaginations From the Other Side, it has some real good songs, but I haven’t been impressed with other offerings from them, maybe I just haven’t listened to them enough?

 

 

There are quite a few good ones on this album, but I think these 3 are my favorites.

This year is almost over, should I continue to write a weekly Stoic article?

I could do book reviews, some Stoic exercises, and tackle some critiques of the Stoic philosophy.

If not enough people think that’s worthwhile (I know it’s not the most exciting reading), let me know.

Either way, good or bad, feedback is appreciated.