Stoic Friday XCIII

by | Dec 20, 2024 | Advice, LifeSkills, Musings, Stoic | 93 comments

To those who enter lightheartedly upon the profession of lecturing Part II

Last Week

Meditations

How to Be a Stoic

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor

Seneca’s Letters from a Stoic

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

This week’s book:

Discourses and Selected Writings

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

Epictetus was born a slave around 50 ad. His owner was Epaphroditus, a rich freedman who was once a slave of Nero. Though he was a slave Epictetus was sent to study philosophy under Musonius Rufus.

Epictetus was lame and there are some stories it was caused by his master and others that it was caused by disease.

He was a freedman when all philosophers were banished from Rome in 89 by the Emperor Domitian. He then started his school in Greece, and had many students. He did not leave any writings from his lessons, but one of his students, Flavius Arrian, took notes and wrote the Discourses.

Epictetus did not marry, had no children, and lived to be around 80-85. In retirement, he adopted a child that would have been abandoned and raised him with a woman.

He died sometime around AD 135.

He is my favorite Stoic teacher. I love his bare bones and very straight forward approach.

Following is a paragraph-by-paragraph discussion of one of his lessons. Epictetus’s text appears in bold, my replies are in normal text.

To those who enter lightheartedly upon the profession of lecturing Part II

15Only thus do the Mysteries become helpful, only thus do we arrive at the impression that all these things were established by men of old time for the purpose of education and for the amendment of our life. But you are publishing the Mysteries abroad and vulgarizing them, out of time, out of place, without sacrifices, without purification; you do not have the dress which the hierophant ought to wear, you do not have the proper head of hair, nor head-band, nor voice, nor age; you have not kept yourself pure as he has, but you have picked up only the words which he utters, and recite them. Have the words a sacred force all by themselves?

Pretending to know things is easy at a superficial level. I have a lot of basic knowledge about many subjects and could convincingly sound like I know what I am talking about to someone with no knowledge. The problem would start when thay asked questions or someone with more knowledge showed up and explained that I was trying to sound smarter than I really am.

One ought to approach these matters in a different fashion; the affair is momentous, it is full of mystery, not a chance gift, nor given to all comers. Nay, it may be that not even wisdom is all that is needed for the care of the young; one ought also to have a certain readiness and special fitness for this task, by Zeus, and a particular physique, and above all the counsel of God advising him to occupy this office, as God counseled Socrates to take the office of examining and confuting men, Diogenes the office of rebuking men in a kingly manner, and Zeno that of instructing men and laying down doctrines.

If I am trying to explain things to someone and I am just pretending to be an expert, than I will be no help to them. When I was a weapon instructor in the Marine Corps, I went to school for it so I would have a deep understanding of proper shooting techniques and not just knowing how to shoot well. This enabled me to watch shooters and be able to offer solid critiques to help them improve,

20But you are opening up a doctor’s office although you possess no equipment other than drugs, but when or how these drugs are applied you neither know nor have ever taken the trouble to learn. “See,” you say, “that man has these eye-salves, and so have I.” Have you, then, at all the faculty of using them aright? Do you know at all when and how and for whom they will do good? Why, then, do you play at hazard in matters of the utmost moment, why do you take things lightly, why do you put your hand to a task that is altogether inappropriate for you? Leave it to those who are able to do it, and do it with distinction. Do not yourself by your own actions join the number of those who bring disgrace upon philosophy, and do not become one of those who disparage the profession.

While I might not have the deepest understanding of Stoic principles, I have read and wrote enough about it that I feel comfortable trying to help others with dealing with their problems using it.

If, however, you find the principles of philosophy entertaining, sit down and turn them over in your mind all by yourself, but don’t ever call yourself a philosopher, and don’t allow anyone else to say it of you, but say, rather, “He is mistaken; for my desire is no different from what it used to be, nor my choice, nor my assent, nor, in a word, have I changed at all, in my use of external impressions, from my former state.” Think this and say this about yourself, if you wish to think aright. If not, keep on playing at hazard and doing what you are doing now; for it becomes you.

I would not call myself a philosopher, just a man that found a structure that works for him. I hear and read people complaining about things and I realize what they are really complaining about is their reaction to some outside force more than they are complaining about the external issue itself.

My wife came home today after 8 weeks away. Unfortunately when I first saw her I was still a little peeved about the TSA agent that made me circle the airport again even though I told her my wife was standing at the baggage carousel. I recovered much quicker than I would have before I started following Stoicism. I will never be a perfect Stoic, but I am still practicing. I can tell though I feel much more at ease around the house with her being here. Life is good.

About The Author

ron73440

ron73440

What I told my wife when she said my steel Baby Eagle .45 was heavy, "Heavy is good, heavy is reliable, if it doesn't work you could always hit him with it."-Boris the Blade MOLON LABE

93 Comments

  1. DEG

    I can tell though I feel much more at ease around the house with her being here. Life is good.

    🙂

  2. Tundra

    Life is good.

    It is. Even when it isn’t.

    I’m off to close on the property. I guess Colorado it is!

    • kinnath

      My sister lived in Colorado Springs for most of two decades. She left because she came to the conclusion that she would never be able to buy a house there.

      She moved back to Iowa. Misses being in Colorado. But now looks forward to buying her happily-ever-after house in the near future.

    • R.J.

      I didn’t know you were moving. All the best!

    • Mojeaux

      I thought you were already in Colorado???

      • kinnath

        I am guessing that a renter is about to become an owner

    • Sean

      Congrats.

    • ron73440

      Congratulations

    • DEG

      Congratulations!

    • Jarflax

      Congrats!

    • Tundra

      Thanks, all!

      Kinnath is correct. We worked a deal with the guy we were renting from. We really dig the area and are very comfortable in the place.

      • kinnath

        Congrats.

  3. Suthenboy

    In the same way that first concepts shape one’s entire body of knowledge whether they realize it or not one’s first principles shape their entire outlook and moral character. It is simple really. I dont subscribe to any fully formed ideology. I start with:

    Everyone owns themselves. Their mind, body and conscience are exclusively their own property. That applies to life, liberty and external property.

    Just go from there.

    More than once having a conversation with a cop I was asked “Have you ever been arrested?”
    No. What would I be arrested for?
    That puzzled them. They all seemed to be under the impression that everyone at one time or another gets arrested.

    • juris imprudent

      Their mind, body and conscience are exclusively their own property.

      That hits on what was a real challenge for me in reading Merton’s Seven Story Mountain. That was written from an entirely different fundamental perspective.

      They all seemed to be under the impression…

      Occupational hazard I presume, particularly when your job entails arresting people. You end up seeing that as a very normal thing.

      • Suthenboy

        I am unfamiliar with Merton.

        That fundamental assumption thing is a big problem especially when trying to understand other cultures. A lot of stuff gets hardwired in during our developmental years and we cant be rid of that. Even languages are loaded with assumptions that the new learner cannot know and thus, even if ‘fluent’ in the language they can never really understand it. To do so would require a brain transplant.
        Most concerning to me is how such fundamental differences can divide societies. Societies have sub-cultures within them. Bridging those differences can be difficult to impossible to do. That is why civil wars are so prominent in our history as a species.

      • Suthenboy

        Also, I have a number of cop acquaintances that I grew up with. I warned them all that it would skew their outlook and not in a good way. They all agreed. It happened to them all. We drifted apart and aren’t friends any longer.

      • juris imprudent

        Merton – was a Catholic (convert) monk in a Benedictine order in Kentucky (IIRC). It was a good read, but hard for me to deeply relate to it.

        That is why civil wars are so prominent in our history as a species.

        Unity is IMO way oversold, but I’m a pretty extreme outlier on that.

  4. The Late P Brooks

    Credentialism has always existed.

  5. Timeloose

    I will never be a perfect Stoic, but I am still practicing. I can tell though I feel much more at ease around the house with her being here. Life is good.

    Life is good. This should be everyone’s mantra. Unless you are actually suffering greatly daily.

    • juris imprudent

      Yeah, and no one is ever perfect about anything, not even being an asshole!

      • ron73440

        My wife would say I have it perfected.

      • Ted S.

        She needs to be more stoic about your assholery.

      • juris imprudent

        You need to warn her that you could indeed be a more perfect one, if she wants.

      • Nephilium

        Hey! I set a perfect lineup (with my available players) in my fantasy leagues a couple of times this year. 🙂

      • PutridMeat

        My wife would say I have it perfected.

        My nick-name around the house is ‘ass-pain’. And not in the good way.

      • juris imprudent

        ‘ass-pain’

        Is there ever a good way for that?????

  6. The Late P Brooks

    I’m off to close on the property.

    ORLY?

  7. Not Adahn

    Yay! My optic arrived three days early! Time to get out the torque wrench and loctite!

    • UnCivilServant

      A new bionic eye? For you or for Lily?

      • Not Adahn

        Me. It’s supposed to show where the bullet coming out of the P322 will impact. I’ll need to take it to the range to make final adjustments.

    • ZWAK, doktor of BRAIN SCIENCE!

      NA, per the last thread, I have no idea what an airsoft would get zero’d at, as I don’t own one, but AIR RIFLES get zeroed at 25 yards.

  8. Not Adahn

    …and the snow has started. How nice.

    • Gender Traitor

      It’s been snowing here for a few hours. It’s very pretty, but I won’t think so when I have to drive home through it. 😒🌨️

      • juris imprudent

        We’ve got a dusting here, just enough to make the roads hazardous. The wife is on her way to pick up a neighbor that got rear-ended.

  9. Gustave Lytton

    From ded thred, Mace said last night she voted against the new CR because while it trimmed down the authorizations, it didn’t do anything about the underlying appropriations for any of the removed stuff (and the appropriations portion is only 9 pages out of the new CR).

    • Gustave Lytton

      And Mike Lee was blaming Johnson/Jeffries/Schumer/McConnell for the failure and mess.

      🍿 🤡

      • R.J.

        Urthona pointed out correctly last night that the bill was smaller, but had the same amount of dollars spent. It was a big WTF.

      • juris imprudent

        Which is a condemnation of all of the extra BS that was in the original as much as it is the spending in the latter.

  10. Sean

    EDS

    • ron73440

      The Crone has spoken!

      • Jarflax

        Rumored 2028 Democratic frontrunner… OMG they may actually have found someone less electable than Hillary or Kamala.

      • Suthenboy

        What’s with the hair? It was a thing in Germany but I dont know what it means other than bug-fuck crazy.

      • R.J.

        It’s the poison frog hair. Stay away. Bright colors mean danger.

      • Nephilium

        Jarflax:

        Seriously? Let me guess, age will no longer be a factor in 2028.

    • The Other Kevin

      How dare a serf challenge the anointed class?

      • ZWAK, doktor of BRAIN SCIENCE!

        Aaaand TOK nails it.

    • Sensei

      Check them out this holiday season, preferably at an independent bookstore or library!

      So either virtue signal or actually pay the author less!

      • ron73440

        Just guessing from the titles, they sound like the pretentious bullshit I would expect him to read.

      • Sensei

        I’m betting money a staffer picked them and gave him summaries in case of a question.

      • R.J.

        I wouldn’t take that bet. You know it was assembled for him.

      • R C Dean

        So, who thinks he’s actually read any of them?

        *crickets*

        Yeah, that’s what I thought.

      • PutridMeat

        pretentious bullshit I would expect him to read

        Or at least pretend to read.

        Though Haidt is pretty good though I think “Coddling of the American Mind” is better. And no, it’s not pretentious for me to say that. Just him. Asshole.

      • Gender Traitor

        I read Haidt’s The Righteous Mind some years back and found it very interesting. (Had some complimentary things to say about libertarians, as I recall.)

    • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

      I don’t know the books but I have read some from Johnathon Haidt.

    • ZWAK, doktor of BRAIN SCIENCE!

      I know about half of them. Only read one of the authors, Haidt.

      It is mostly high-brow shelf and status displays.

    • creech

      Neither has he.

  11. kinnath

    https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-republicans-reach-deal-plan-c-avoid-government-shutdown-after-back-to-back-defeats-sources

    House Republican negotiators have tentatively reached an agreement on averting a partial government shutdown at the end of Friday, sources told Fox News Digital.

    Two people familiar with discussions told Fox News Digital that the deal would include a short-term extension of this year’s federal funding levels, disaster aid funding and agricultural aid for farmers — but under three separate bills.

    It would also involve an agreement to act on the debt limit next year as part of Republicans’ planned massive conservative policy overhaul via a process called reconciliation.

    A win for Massie?

    • juris imprudent

      a process called reconciliation

      More honestly called a Trojan Horse.

    • Jarflax

      How about we stop raising the debt limit every time we approach the debt limit? This seems to contradict the idea of a debt limit.

      • Sean

        That’s crazy talk.

    • The Other Kevin

      Definitely a win for Massie.

      • Sean
    • Nephilium

      I think you left out two important phrases: “formerly known as Twitter” and “right-wing bubble”.

      • R C Dean

        Wait, what? X was formerly known as Twitter? When did that happen?

        It never fails to grind my gears when some smooth-brain inserts that into a sentence.

    • ZWAK, doktor of BRAIN SCIENCE!

      “We durstn’t go with it, my preciouss, no we durstn’t, gollum!”

  12. Timeloose

    I’m officially checked out of work for the next two weeks. It’s been a rough couple of weeks. New job with constant communication and visibility with VP’s is tiring.

    The C-suite is asshole. Mandatory vacation for the next two weeks, but be sure to get all of your work done and keep pushing your projects.

    • R.J.

      Yes. Yes it is. Someday we may commiserate over the Zooms.

      • Timeloose

        We should. I plan to be on this weekend at some point.

    • Sean

      Mandatory vacation for the next two weeks, but be sure to get all of your work done and keep pushing your projects.

      How does that work?

      • R.J.

        Just like it sounds.

      • Timeloose

        Work on your vacation but, let’s pretend that you didn’t and I never said to.

    • DEG

      I’m supposed to work on Monday, and then a week off for Christmas.

      I expect Monday will be quiet.

  13. Not Adahn

    Might be a bit too somber for you all, but…

    There’s a modern classical composer most often associated with choral music called Eric Whitacre. A decade or two back he kind of rubbed against the mainstream when his song “Sleep” got used in something.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aynHSTsYcUo

    Anyway I haven’t been keeping up, but he wrote an amazing if terribly sad oratorio called “The Sacred Veil.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0g62Nl4mNY

    How sad? The sixth movement is titled “I’m afraid we’ve found something.” Using “metastasis” in a choral work allows for some really interesting sibilants.

    • Sensei

      Thanks. It’s modern, but not so modern as to be unapproachable.

      Wiki paste

      Composed in 2018, The Sacred Veil is a 12-movement work from Whitacre and poet/lyricist Charles Anthony Silvestri. Silvestri’s wife, Julie, died of ovarian cancer at age 36 in 2005, leaving two young children. His texts (written collaboratively with Whitacre) and the score tell a story of courtship, love, loss and the search for solace.[57] The Los Angeles Times described the work as “memorably [celebrating] the precarious beauty of life, offering the welcome consolation of art and a momentary stay against our collective fate.”[58] The work was premiered at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, in February 2019,[59] and recordings released in late August 2020.

      • Not Adahn

        The last two movements are just incredible.

  14. The Late P Brooks

    How about we stop raising the debt limit every time we approach the debt limit? This seems to contradict the idea of a debt limit.

    “I’ll quit. Honest. But I can’t today.”

    • Sensei

      This.

  15. kinnath

    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdr0zx4e04no

    Car driven into crowd at German Christmas market, reports say

    A car has crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in east Germany, local media report.

    A least one person has been killed and several injured in the incident in Magdeburg, according to German public broadcaster MDR.

    The suspected driver of the car has also been arrested, MDR said, citing a government spokesman.

    Other headlines indicate this is considered a possible terrorist attack.

  16. The Late P Brooks

    Urgent and necessary

    A provision to transfer the land that is the site of the old RFK Stadium from the federal government to the District of Columbia is no longer included in Congress’ slimmed-down, short-term spending bill that lawmakers are racing to pass before a government shutdown.

    The removal Thursday of that part of the bill is a loss for the NFL’s Washington Commanders, who were hoping to have the land available as an option to build a new stadium. Controlling owner Josh Harris and Commissioner Roger Goodell lobbied on Capitol Hill in favor of its inclusion earlier this month.

    The revised bill came after President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk criticized and rejected the initial package, which included the RFK Stadium land remaining in control of the city for 99 years.

    How will the nation survive?

  17. Suthenboy

    Debt limit: Raising the debt limit is pointless. With the inflation we have had the actual numbers are near meaningless.
    We need tax and debt limits based on percentages. Of course with the kind of grifters in govt they would simply play games with measuring percentages and defining parameters.

    Obama’s reading list: I miss ‘What are we Reading?”. Maybe we could once per week put up one of our book lists. Mine is quite long.

  18. The Late P Brooks

    “We’ve done all we’re supposed to do, and this is the vehicle that has been identified — and agreed to by Democrats and Republicans,” Bowser said. “Have you been to RFK? Anybody? (It is) 177 acres surrounded by asphalt and a stadium that hasn’t been used in 10 years that is a blight on the nation’s capital. Now, I agree with the president-elect on this point: We want to make our nation’s capital the most beautiful capital in the world, so we have to move and free RFK.”

    Rip it all out and build houses. Tell the “Commandos” they’re on their own.

  19. The Late P Brooks

    Put that RFK parcel up for sale to the highest bidder, with the proceeds used to retire federal debt.

    • R.J.

      No shit. You want to build a stadium? Buy the damn land.

      • juris imprudent

        THAT’S NOT HOW THIS WORKS! THAT’S NOT HOW ANY OF THIS WORKS!!!!

  20. The Late P Brooks

    The tide comes in, the tide goes out- you can’t explain it

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average bounced on Friday to close out a tough week that saw the index plunge 1,100 points in a single day and complete its longest losing streak since the 1970s. Some cooler-than-expected inflation data helped fuel Friday’s bounce.

    I looked at the list of Dow stocks yesterday or the day before, when the Dow was in the shitter. Lots of “financials” and interest rate sensitive stuff. People are twitchy. Life goes on.