How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
If you have anger issues, this one is a great tool (h/t mindyourbusiness.
Today’s lesson comes from: Musonious Rufus’s Lectures
We don’t know much about Rufus’s life, he was born between 20-30 AD. By the rein of Nero he was a leading Stoic teacher. He was banished twice under different Emperors. His most famous student was Epictetus and like him, Rufus did not write any of his own lessons. The lessons and fragments that remain were written by his students. We do not now when he died, but in 101 AD Pliny mentions him as deceased.
Disclaimer: I’m not your Supervisor. These are my opinions after reading through these books a few times.
That Kings Also Should Study Philosophy Part III
8 In general it is of the greatest importance for the good king to be faultless and perfect in word and action, if, indeed, he is to be a “living law”[2] as he seemed to the ancients, effecting good government and harmony, suppressing lawlessness and dissension, a true imitator of Zeus and, like him, father of his people. But how could anyone be such a king if he were not endowed with a superior nature, given the best possible education, and possessed of all the virtues which befit a man? If, then, there is any other knowledge which guides man’s nature to virtue and teaches him to practice and associate with the good, it should be placed beside philosophy and compared with it to see whether it or philosophy is better and more capable of producing a good king. Then the man who wished to become a good king would be wise to use the better one.
The higher a person is in a hierarchy, the more damage can be done if they are immoral. When my sons would act like fools, the after effects were mostly limited to themselves. If I, as the father and husband, stole or was unfaithful, it would hurt the whole family. Understanding Stoicism can encourage “good” behavior and choices and for any type of leader that is important for themselves and anyone under them.
9 If, however, no other art professes the teaching and transmission of virtue, though there are some which are concerned solely with man’s body and what is useful for it, while others which touch the mind aim at everything else but making it self-controlled,[3] yet philosophy alone makes this its aim and occupies itself with this, how a man may avoid evil and acquire virtue, if this I say is so, what else would be more serviceable to a king who wished to be good than the study of philosophy? How better or how otherwise could a man be a good ruler or live a good life than by studying philosophy? For my part, I believe that the good king is straightway and of necessity a philosopher, and the philosopher a kingly person.
A king or any important person needs to have an understanding of how to be the best they can and not abuse their power. Regardless of how large or small their power actually is. It doesn’t have to be Stoicism to be correct and useful. Even though I am not a Christian, I strive to follow the Bible as a guide for how to live a good life. I have incorporated Stoicism as a practical tool to help me reach the goals I have set for my life with my wife.
10 Of these two propositions let us examine the former: Is it possible for anyone to be a good king unless he is a good man? No, it is not possible. But given a good man, would he not be entitled to be called a philosopher? Most certainly, since philosophy is the pursuit of ideal good. Therefore a good king is found to be forthwith and of necessity a philosopher also. Now again that the philosopher is entirely kingly you may understand from this. The attribute of a kingly person is obviously the ability to rule peoples and cities well and to be worthy to govern men. Well, then, who would be a more capable head of a city or more worthy to govern men than the philosopher? For it behooves him (if he is truly a philosopher) to be intelligent, disciplined, noble-minded, a good judge of what is just and of what is seemly, efficient in putting his plans into effect, patient under hardship. In addition to this, he should be courageous, fearless, resolute in the face of things apparently disastrous, and besides beneficent, helpful, and humane. Could anyone be found more fit or better able to govern than such a man? No one. Even if he does not have many subjects obedient to him, he is not for that reason less kingly, for it is enough to rule one’s friends or one’s wife and children or, for that matter, only oneself.
Ruling myself is difficult sometimes, but it is a self-induced problem. The better I control myself, the better I am at being a good husband and father. Just because I understand the proper things I should be doing, I do not always do them. Knowledge of philosophy is only useful if it is followed, the same as any other training. When I am a better Stoic, I am a better man and everything else starts with that.
11 For, indeed, a physician who attends few patients is no less a physician than the one who attends many if, to be sure, he has skill and experience in healing. In the same way the musician who teaches only a few pupils is no less a musician than the one who teaches many, provided he knows the art of music. Likewise the horseman who trains only one or two horses is just as much a horseman as the one who trains many if he is skilled in horsemanship. And so the title of kingly person belongs to the one who has only one or two subjects just as well as to the one who has many, only let him have the skill and ability to rule, so that he may deserve the name of king. For this reason it seems to me that Socrates too called philosophy the statesmanlike and royal discipline, because one who masters it immediately becomes a statesman.[4]
When I was an artillery section chief in the Marine Corps, my section was my little kingdom. This was especially true when we were in the field for live fire shoots. I had 10 to13 Marines and a M198 howitzer that I was in charge of. I remember one time, we did a double Combined Arms Exercise (CAX). This entailed 3 1/2 weeks in the field, one week home and then 3 1/2 more weeks in the field. When I came home from the second half, my wife told me I was acting like a Sergeant in the house. I realized she was correct, I was being an asshole about something small because I was used to being in charge. It was hard sometimes to adjust, but I always liked the line from We Were Soldiers, when someone asks Mel Gibson’s character about how he balanced being an Army Colonel and a family man. He replied: “I hope being good at one makes me be better at the other.”
12 When Musonius said these things, the king was glad at his words and told him that he was grateful for what he said and added, “In return for this, ask of me whatever you wish for I shall refuse you nothing.” Then Musonius said, “The only favor I ask of you is to remain faithful to this teaching, since you find it commendable, for in this way and no other will you best please me and benefit yourself.”
I love the way Musonius didn’t ask for anything except that the king follows his teaching. It reminds me of when my wife and I first came to 29 Palms. It was her first time in America and my first time maintaining a home in America with her. One of her friends and her husband were very helpful to us. He helped me find an A/C compressor for my car in a junkyard, and a used dryer when we needed one. I asked him how to repay him and he told me to help younger Marines when I had the opportunity. I think I would have done it anyway, but that was a push that encouraged me to be more vocal about volunteering to help when I could.
Stoic question for the day. I was at a busy Sheetz tonight to fill up my car. There were cars at every pump and a few waiting behind them. I pulled in behind a BMW and realized there was no one at the car. I was stuck so I had to wait. A few minutes later he came out with a couple bags of food. Luckily he had already filled his car, so he got in and drove away. While I was filling my car, an old Toyota truck pulled into the pump next to mine. A man and woman got out then they both walked straight to the store. I finished pumping, moved my car to a parking spot and went in to use the facilities. The man and woman from the truck were in there browsing the snacks. I don’t understand that mentality. They know the pumps are busy, yet they tie one up just so they can find a bag of chips and some sodas.
Surely it’s not just me that hates when people do that?
You are not alone.
If you are shopping, park in a non-pump parking spot. Only pull up to a pump to fuel. When fuelled, leave the space so someone else can use it. Moreso when it’s a busy station.
Same here. In fact, I included this behavior in a post awhile back. To me, its of a piece with not putting your fucking shopping cart in the corral.
I recall being shocked that there were commenters here who routinely block a pump when they’re not using it.
I relarely go into the convenience store when I fuel.
If I do I’ll pump first, drive to a parking spot and go in. If with the kids one of us will fill the rig and the other will take them in to pee.
I really hate this behavior at truck stops. The sandal wearing group is particularly bad about blocking the pumps and then going in to stand in line for ten minutes for some junk food.
People are jerks and don’t care about being efficient.
That kind of rudeness is a helpful marker that makes me think “I don’t want to associate with you in any way”.
Yep.
Well, then, who would be a more capable head of a city or more worthy to govern men than the philosopher? For it behooves him (if he is truly a philosopher) to be intelligent, disciplined, noble-minded, a good judge of what is just and of what is seemly, efficient in putting his plans into effect, patient under hardship. In addition to this, he should be courageous, fearless, resolute in the face of things apparently disastrous, and besides beneficent, helpful, and humane. Could anyone be found more fit or better able to govern than such a man? No one.
Yankee Doodle came to town
riding on a poh-neeee…
People are jerks and don’t care about being efficient.
and completely oblivious to the world around them.
Headupassism is everywhere.
Many people get practice staring at a little screen in their hand for hours and hours every day.
Lack of situational awareness, narcissism, who knows?
When I came home from the second half, my wife told me I was acting like a Sergeant in the house.
Maybe she needed to be more stoic and understand you were right to be correcting her mistakes.
I kid, I kid!
And you thought droughts were bad
On Tuesday, Daniel Swain, a prominent climate scientist at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, took to social media to issue his most alarming update yet on El Niño’s potential.
“Based on what I am seeing now, I am officially concerned,” Swain said, pointing to forecast models that show increasingly high confidence in a very wet California winter.
——-
“We’ve never seen an event this big before in the context of our rapidly warming climate … The warning lights are flashing,” Swain said.
Last month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom preemptively declared a state of emergency – and representatives from the National Weather Service joined Los Angeles city officials on Monday to discuss El Niño’s potential impact on the region and to update preparedness measures.
Fucking reversion to the mean- how does it work?
It’s almost as if we are in a chaotic system with a self-centering tendency. Don’t like the weather? Just wait a while.
Panic!
😱
I thought California needed rain. Make up your mind!
Like farmers.
‘This drought is going to ruin me’
‘This spring rain is too much. I’m going to be ruined by root rot!’
How many women does it take to screw in a light bulb?
One good looking one who will call a guy to do it for her.
Is lightbulb slang for silicon valley cnc parties?
“Screw in a light bulb”
…and I thought the back seat of a Buick 225 was tough…
Shannon Hamilton: “You see, Bruce, I like to pick up girls on the rebound from a disappointing relationship… And, I use that to fuck them some place very uncomfortable.”
Brodie Bruce: “What, like the back of a Volkswagen?”
lol headline and the pics are even better
Pussies can harbor beaver fever. This is Known.
How many women does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Modern sexually empowered women use candles.
They know the pumps are busy, yet they tie one up just so they can find a bag of chips and some sodas.
Wait. They ignore the little signs which say “Do not leave vehicle unattended”?
*faints*
Rate this quote for stoicism on a scale of 1 to 10
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not expressed in fancy—rich, not gaudy,
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and station
Are of a most select and generous chief in that.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be,
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell. My blessing season this in thee.
Fairly Stoic and good advice.
Make homelessness great again
A massive crackdown, dubbed ‘Operation Save Skid Row,’ targeted over two dozen alleged drug dealers and distributors.
——-
“Just to be clear, we are not targeting the homeless people, we are targeting the drug dealers who take advantage of them,” said Oleg Pobereyko, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge at IRS Criminal Investigation.
Federal officials say the alleged drug dealers are using homeless tents to sell or deal drugs and even disguising themselves as homeless or city workers.
We all know how much the homeless hate drugs and drug dealers.
lol Bullshit
I was at a busy Sheetz tonight – explosive diarrhea?
I finished pumping, moved my car to a parking spot – in romania this would do no good as the pump is blocked untill you pay
I don’t understand that mentality. – romanian has a word nesimtit which i am not sure how to translate in english
You don’t pay at the pump? Tap, pump, leave
Most places did not install that. Some did i expect in a few years most will.
I still find the fact that in canadia i was asked how much money should be blocked on my card before i pumped weird. Like i dont fucking know i fill her up and then pay whatever that is.
I’m having trouble wrapping my head around that given that for the entire time I’ve had a driver’s license, pay at the pump was standard fare at our gas stations.
That is why we pay 2 dollars for gas and you pay 4
Internet says Gas is 10.14 Leu/Liter in Romania today.
That is 38.38 Leu/Gallon
At 4.77 Leu per dollar, that’s $8.047/gallon.
Around me Gas is $4.29-$4.49 depending on which station I visit.
Well we dont pay for gallons
I remember it was like 3 80 per gallon when i visited the gulch. Maybe i misremeber, maybe it got more expensive, or maybe the price differs from where you at. I dunno.
I had to normalize units for a fair comparison. My biases are towards my own units. So I converted your values to make it a apples to apples issue.
dude you realize that it was a joke comparing my price for liters with yours for gallons
I was bored enough to do the math.
It’s a friday afternoon before a long weekend. I’m almost the only person in the office.
Google Translate gives ‘insensitive’, which from the context sounds pretty close. Perhaps with additional elements of ‘selfish’ and ‘oblivious’.
More oblivious. It is someone who gives no thought at all to their actions and the results of their actions. Just does whatever with no thought process. But it seems more negative than oblivious… More like oblivious asshole to distinguish from assholes who do it on purpose
‘Oblivious asshole’ is something that U.S. English could probably use a single word for. Mind if I steal yours?
Fo right ahead
Neal Boortz used to refer (frequently) to “obliviots.”
The thing about oblivious asshole is they get very agressive if you point it out cause they dont think they did anything wrong and feel attacked unfairly
Indeed they do.
Sadly, giving them a little beating to reinforce their place in the world and among their fellow humans, is illegal in most places.
This is exactly what I was talking about below really.
And I’ve referenced it a few times in rants of late. We have a culture where even the hint of holding someone accountable for their behavior begets the most ridiculous reaction out of them. No one is about that. Everyone thinks they are the main character and they are way too quick to engage in arguments they can’t win and fights that they stand even less of a chance in.
If you are a guy I can slap around with an open hand, you should maybe have a bit of respect before running your mouth while acting like a piece of shit.
it is a failure of modern society and I have been insulted quite seriously by men I could have beat into the ground. but it is what it is.
and while I would not hit a woman, women in Bucharest turned the general notion of men not hitting women in a license to be complete assholes,
Cigar of the evening is gurkha 15 reserve. Not bad.
Some french asshole pestered me all day with stupid questions
The operation is a joint effort between federal agencies and the LAPD, whose relentless investigative work, according to DEA officials, helped lead to the identification of 28 suspects.
Masters of disguise and subterfuge.
It’s not like you could just ask any street urchin where to score.
Rate this quote for stoicism on a scale of 1 to 10
Sounds like some sort of white supremacist propaganda.
Pretty much, for the modern definition of ‘white supremacy’.
Gas Station Etiquette: For me it depends on what I am doing and what the status is at the store. When I’m traveling I will gas up first, then if the lot isn’t busy I’ll keep my truck where it is and go get a drink/snack or hit the head. If it’s busy I’ll find a spot to park first, then go in the store to shop and/or piss, then go fill the gas tank. Around town I usually only need to fill up the truck so it’s not an issue, unless there’s a problem with the card reader at the pump. Then I leave the truck at the pump and go in to pay for gas.
If I drive up and there’s a mob at the station pumps I’ll usually just drive to a different one unless there’s some special reason to stay (like a discounted price of gas). Then I just play the waiting game.
I’m having trouble wrapping my head around that given that for the entire time I’ve had a driver’s license, pay at the pump was standard fare at our gas stations.
Back in ye olden tymes, before the place was overrun with thieves and scoundrels, you could just grab the nozzle, run as much fuel as you pleased into the tank, and then saunter in to the counter and pay the amount on the pump. What a strange far off world that was.
In even older olden times, someone pumped the gas for you, and not just in Joisey. He might even offer to check your oil.
He might even offer to check your oil.
Every single time. It was basic service when you filled up.
I offer to check the oil for the ladies I see at the gas station. They call me all kinds of names. There’s no gratitude anymore.
Jinx. That’s a good childhood memory.
I worked at that station. Even credit cards had to be run through the inside machine.
Ooh, I’m not the only former -attendant of a gas stn. This pleases me for some reason.
As I’ve said, I’m very pleased I’m so easily amused.
I never move the car when I am filling up at my local station. It is extremely rare for them to be so busy that all 8 pumps are occupied.
When I am on the road; however, I pay attention to how busy it is and move if it is very busy.
But it seems more negative than oblivious… More like oblivious asshole to distinguish from assholes who do it on purpose
“rude”
I thing it has a different nuance to just rude which i would translate nepoliticos or unpolite in romanian
Little bright spot today. Iowa man cleared of “election interference”: https://www.3newsnow.com/southwest-iowa/not-guilty-verdict-in-trial-of-red-oak-man-charged-with-felony-election-misconduct
This was in the 2024 General. The accused was a Democrat but (1) officials told local media that it was likely the first time anyone had been charged under that law and (2) here’s how the accusations went:
“Norris, 36, is charged with felony election misconduct. He was a poll worker on a board counting absentee ballots. Prosecutors allege he hindered the ballot count by interrupting, asking too many questions and slowing down the ability of the board to get the count done in time.
State witness Jeanice Lester was the chair of the ballot counting board.
‘I felt that in all the years that I served I have never witnessed or been involved in something that took so much time,’ she said.”
Again, I don’t care if he was supporting anyone in particular or no one. But to charge someone with a felony, with up to five years in prison because it meant the count took longer than you wanted it to take is bullshit to the extreme.
We live in a country where people are simultaneously allowed to walk away with almost no consequences for serious acts of violence and public disturbance while also people get overcharged for the pettiest and stupidest shit imaginable.
Even if the guy was completely absurd, short of preventing the votes from being counted at all this sounds pretty fucking dumb.
I like how people are talking about etiquette. Most people I interact with are just absolute shitbags who don’t think about anyone else when doing dumb shit.
I’ve gotten to the point where it’s rubbing off on me. If damn near everyone around me is an inconsiderate piece of shit at best, I’m not going to worry about offending them back in turn.
I think this is how low trust societies are formed. And it’s not for nothing that I live in an area filled with transplants and fereigners from the South.
Etiquette and persons who at least attempt to bring some into their lives has been severely maligned in pop culture in my opinion.
Stuffy, nerdy virgins only use etiquette.
Around these parts, people still hold doors open for one another.
The widow ladies at the post office hold the door for me, then they whisper that “He can still drive”
Common etiquette here. And the thanks that goes with it. Often someone will volunteer to carry my packages out but I won’t let them, as a matter of principle.
I mean that’s kind of bare minimum type of behavior/consideration. Anything that requires complex thought with regards to second order effects is out the window. But I see plenty of our brown cultural enrichers who won’t hold the door open. Who ignore you when you speak to them (even if you don’t know English, you almost always know when you are being addressed and to not even acknowledge someone is nothing but contempt), who pretend not to know English when convenient for them etc.
And I can’t forget the disgusting snorting thing the men and women of that culture do. Like constantly. It’s so fucking gross I want to throw hands when I hear someone doing it.
As I’ve said – Florida is especially lucky. The immigrants we get are lazier AND have shitty food compared to the ones out West.
At least they come with tacos.
Getting ready to pull the bottom bracket out of the old bike.
Look at that. A Japanese bottom bracket in a 55 year old French bike.
I forgot the shop replaced the bottom bracket when the new crankset was put on in the late 80s.
I should have expected that since the new Japanese crankset is probably not compatible with the original axle (taper).
55 year old French bike. – people like you are ruining the economy
Doing my best.
Five motor vehicles — the youngest is 6 years old.
Three bicycles — 55yo Gitane (being rebuilt); 46 year old Gitane (new to me); and a 20yo Trek (that I just paid someone to tear apart, clean up, and put back together).
Fuck the economy — I got mine (spoken like a true boomer).
On a related note, what’s the proper etiquette at a Costco gas station?
Let’s say there’s three pumps in front of you, all in use, and you’re next in line with cars behind you.
The front car finishes and leaves – do you pull around to the front pump, forcing the other two cars to go around you when they leave, or just wait for the other two cars to finish?
Or the rear car finishes and pulls around the front two cars, and you pull into the rear spot – do you start pumping there, forcing the cars behind you to go around you when the front cars leave? Or wait for the other two cars to finish and pull into the front spot? Or maybe just wait for the middle car to leave, since the car in front of you pulled around to take the front spot?
Too complicated. They need more pumps
At Sam’s Club, I pull around if necessary to get to the open pump, doing my best to get as close to the pump as possible and leave room for the cars behind me to get around. The lines are usually too long to leave an open pump just sitting there not in use.
Situational. If line is deep, ya I get in to whatever spot opened up. Sorta like going to a frat party at Cornell
Bazinga!
That gas station behavior is not cool.
Now I’m remembering a time when we were on vacation in our brown Ford LTD station wagon, drove over the hose that made the bell go DING, and a redneck guy would come out and ask “Where y’all headed?” Then he’d run my dad’s Standard Oil card through the charge plate. Good times.
Prosecutors allege he hindered the ballot count by interrupting, asking too many questions and slowing down the ability of the board to get the count done in time.
He swallowed all that pompous nonsense about the sanctity of The Vote and took the job seriously? What an eejit.
“Look, the Democrat is ahead, we can stop counting now.”
That is why we pay 2 dollars for gas and you pay 4
You buy liters. We buy gallons.
Just curious. Every once in a while you see a story about some piece of shit cop leaving their K9 police dog in a hot car and it dying.
What are the odds that any of them have ever been charged with any of the laws that are used against peasants when they harm a police dog that’s in the act of attacking them?
peasants and kings men are held to different standards, as God intended.
Drip drip drip
The Cornell student accusing seven frat brothers of gang raping her had worked with one of them to try to find the “rat” talking about them having sex at a party — claiming they needed to “grow up” and be more open-minded about what went on, according to a fresh batch of text messages.
Just four days after the Chi Phi fraternity party where the student now claims she was drugged and raped, Jane Doe texted student Matthew Ingalls in a panic claiming “everybody knows” about them having sex , leavin her “incredibly stressed out,” messages obtained by TMZ show.
Ingalls sympathized after the accuser complained about some “random bitch” telling her friends.
“Dude I have no f—king idea, this sh-t is incredibly frustrating and I know how fast nonsense spreads at this school,” responded Ingalls, who later claimed he was the one assaulted while too drunk to consent.
“It’s fan behavior from everyone talking about it. Boring people who have nothing to do with their time,” texted Ingalls, who Doe later said instigated the alleged 2024 gang rape.
Doe said the rumors were “f—king RUINING my life” and that she wanted to sniff out “the rats.”
The sexual empowerment is a lie.
The media had these texts for the last week or more. Only TMZ would post them.
I think this girl has truly convinced herself that something went down and that she’s in the right, but it’s a level of cognitive dissonance that is only possible because of how ridiculous feminism is and how ingrained it’s become in the culture.
“My reputation is destroyed and i’m utterly ashamed. i’m f—king pissed because this many people shouldn’t know and i feel like i know who some of the rats in the room were,” she texted him.
She added that the rumors were not only spreading like wildfire but were growing “crazier every f—king day.”
“Stupid bitches like to yap, and the fact they’re doing it shows that they’re jealous of you for any number of reasons,” Ingalls shot back.
The stories were crazy back then?
the hot crazy scale remains undefeated