(독서) Daily Stoic-7월 22일 NO ONE HAS A GUN TO YOUR HEAD

"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 ...

"The unjust person acts against the gods. For insofar as the nature of the universe made rational creatures for the sake of each other, with an eye toward mutual benefit based on true value and never for harm, anyone breaking nature's will obviously acts against the oldest of gods."-MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 9.1.1 ("부정한 사람은 신들에 반하는 행동을 합니다. 우주의 본성은 이성적 존재들을 서로를 위해 만들었으며, 참된 가치를 바탕으로 한 상호 이익을 위해 만들었으며, 결코 해를 끼치기 위해 만든 것이 아니기 때문에, 본성을 어기는 자는 분명 가장 오래된 신들에 반하는 행동을 하는 것입니다." - 마르쿠스 아우렐리우스, 명상록, 9.1.1)   We say of the most heinous acts that they are crimes against nature. We consider certain things to be an affront against humanity, saying, "This violates everything we hold dear." However much we differ in religion, upbringing, politics, class, or gender, we can come together in agreement there.   Why? Because our sense of justice goes marrow deep. We don't like it when people cut in line; we don't like freeloaders; we pass laws that protect the defenseless; and we pay our taxes, agreeing, in part, to redistribute our wealth to those in need. At the same time, if we think we can get away with it, we might try to cheat or bend the rules. To paraphrase Bill Walsh, when left ...

"As Plato said, every soul is deprived of truth against its will. The same holds true for justice, self-control, goodwill to others, and every similar virtue. It's essential to constantly keep this in your mind, for it will make you more gentle to all."-MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 7.63 ("플라톤이 말했듯이, 모든 영혼은 자신도 모르게 진리를 빼앗기게 됩니다. 정의, 절제, 타인에 대한 선의와 같은 모든 유사한 미덕도 마찬가지입니다. 이를 마음속에 항상 간직하는 것이 중요합니다. 그러면 모든 사람에게 더욱 부드럽게 대할 수 있을 것입니다." - 마르쿠스 아우렐리우스, 《명상록》, 7.63)   As he wound his way up Via Dolorosa to the top of Calvary Hill, Jesus (or Christus as he would have been known to Seneca and other Roman contemporaries) had suffered immensely. He'd been beaten, flogged, stabbed, forced to bear his own cross, and was set to be crucified on it next to two common criminals. There he watched the soldiers roll dice to see who would get to keep his clothes, listened as the ...

"My reasoned choice is as indifferent to the reasoned choice of my neighbor, as to his breath and body. However much we've been made for cooperation, the ruling reason in each of us is master of its own affairs. If this weren't the case, the evil in someone else could become my harm, and God didn't mean for someone else to control my misfortune."-MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 8.56 ("내 이성적 선택은 이웃의 이성적 선택과 마찬가지로 그의 숨결과 몸에도 무관합니다. 우리가 협력을 위해 만들어졌다고는 하지만, 각자에게 있는 통치 이성은 자기 일에 있어서 주인입니다. 만약 그렇지 않다면, 다른 사람의 악이 나의 해로움이 될 수 있으며, 신은 다른 사람이 내 불행을 통제하도록 의도하지않았습니다." - 마르쿠스 아우렐리우스, 명상록, 8.56)   "The foundation of a free country is that your freedom to swing your fist ends where someone else's nose begins. That is, someone else is free to do what they like until it interferes with your physical body and space. This saying can work as a great ...

"As you move forward along the path of reason, people will stand in your way. They will never be able to keep you from doing what's sound, so don't let them knock out your goodwill for them. Keep a steady watch on both fronts, not only for well-based judgments and actions, but also for gentleness with those who would obstruct our path or create other difficulties. For getting angry is also a weakness, just as much as abandoning the task or surrendering under panic. For doing either is an equal desertion- the one by shrinking back and the other by estrangement from family and friend."-MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 11.9 (""이성의 길을 따라 나아가다 보면 사람들이 당신의 길을 막을 것입니다. 그들은 결코 당신이 올바른 일을 하는 것을 방해할 수 없으니, 그들에 대한 선의를 잃지 마십시오. 잘 기반된 판단과 행동뿐만 아니라 우리의 길을 방해하거나 다른 어려움을 일으키는 사람들에 대한 부드러움에도 항상 주의하십시오. 화를 내는 것도 포기하거나 공포에 굴복하는 것만큼이나 약점입니다. 둘 다 똑같은 도피입니다. 하나는 뒤로 물러남으로써, 다른 하나는 가족과 친구로부터 멀어짐으로써입니다." - 마르쿠스 아우렐리우스, 명상록, 11.9)     As we begin to make progress in our lives, we'll encounter the limitations of the people around us. ...