"Whenever you have trouble getting up in the morning, remind yourself that you've been made by nature for the purpose of working with others, whereas even unthinking animals share sleeping. And it's our own natural purpose that is more fitting and more satisfying."-MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 8.12
(“아침에 일어나기 힘들 때, 자신이 자연에 의해 다른 사람들과 함께 일하도록 만들어졌다는 것을 기억하십시오. 심지어 아무 생각 없이 잠을 자는 동물들조차도 그렇습니다. 그리고 그것이 우리의 자연스러운 목적이며 더 적합하고 만족스러운 것입니다.” - 마르쿠스 아우렐리우스, 명상록, 8.12)
If a dog spends all day in bed-your bed, most likely-that's fine. It's just being a dog. It doesn't have anywhere to be, no other obligation other than being itself. According to the Stoics, we humans have a higher obligation-not to the gods but to each other. What gets us out of bed each morning-even when we fight it like Marcus did—is praxeis koinonikas apodidonai (to render works held in common). Civilization and country are great projects we build together and have been building together with our ancestors for millennia. We are made for cooperation (synergia) with each other.
So if you need an extra boost to get out of bed this morning, if you need something more than caffeine can offer, use this. People are depending on you. Your purpose is to help us render this great work together. And we're ...
