(독서) Daily Stoic-10월3일 A MANTRA OF MUTUAL INTERDEPENDENCE

"But the wise person can lose nothing. Such a person has everything stored up for themselves, leaving nothing to Fortune, their own goods are held firm, bound in virtue, which requires nothing from chance, and therefore can't be either increased or diminished."-SENECA, ON THE FIRMNESS OF THE WISE, 5.4 (“그러나 현명한 사람은 아무것도 잃을 수 없다. 그는 모든 것을 자신 안에 간직하고, 운명에 의존하지 않으며, 그의 재산은 덕으로 단단히 묶여 있어 우연에 의해 늘어나거나 줄어들 수 없다.."-세네카, 현자의 굳건함에 관하여, 5.4)   Some people put their money in assets-stocks, bonds, property. Others invest in relationships or accomplishments, knowing that they can draw on these things just as easily as others can draw funds from a bank account. But a third type, Seneca says, invests in themselves— in being a good and wise person.   Which of these assets is most immune to market fluctuations and disasters? Which is most resilient in the face of trials and tribulations? Which will never abandon you? Seneca's own life is an interesting example. He became quite wealthy as a friend of the emperor, but as Nero became more and more deranged, Seneca realized ...

"Does the light of a lamp shine and keep its glow until its fuel is spent? Why shouldn't your truth, justice, and self-control shine until you are extinguished?"-MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 12.15 ("등불의 빛이 그 연료가 다할 때까지 빛나고 계속해서 그 빛을 유지합니까? 그렇다면 왜 당신의 진리, 정의, 그리고 절제는 당신이 사라질 때까지 빛나지 말아야 합니까?"-마르쿠스 아우렐리우스, 《명상록》, 12.15)   Seneca, repeating Heraclitus, writes that "we mortals are lighted and extinguished." The light of reason suffuses the universe. Whether the wick of your lamp is being lit for the first time, after a long period of darkness, or even right before the proverbial big sleep, it makes no difference.   Here is where you are right now, and it's as good a place as any to let virtue ...

"If you lay violent hands on me, you'll have my body, but my mind will remain with Stilpo."-ZENO, QUOTED IN DIOGENES LAERTIUS, LIVES OF THE EMINENT PHILOSOPHERS, 7.1.24 ("당신이 내게 폭력을 휘두르면 내 몸은 가질 수 있지만, 내 마음은 여전히 스틸포와 함께 있을 것이다," -제노, 디오게네스 라에르티오스의 저서, <저명한 철학자들의 생애>, 7.1.24.)   Zeno is not claiming magic powers but simply that while his body can be victimized, philosophy prosects his mind-cultivated under his teacher, Stilpo-with an inner fortress whose gates can never be broken from the outside, only surrendered.   Look at Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, the boxer wrongly convicted of homicide who spent nearly twenty years in prison. He would say, "I don't acknowledge the existence of the prison. It doesn't exist for me." Of course, the prison literally existed, and he was physically inside it. But he refused to let his mind be contained by it.   That's a power that you have too. Hopefully you'll never have to use this power in a situation of violence or grave injustice; however, in the midst of any and every kind of adversity, it is there. No...

"Nothing can satisfy greed, but even a small measure satisfies nature. So it is that the poverty of an exile brings no misfortune, for no place of exile is so barren as not to produce ample support for a person."-SENECA, ON CONSOLATION TO HELVIA, 10.11b ("탐욕은 결코 만족할 수 없지만, 자연은 작은 것만으로도 충분히 만족합니다. 그래서 망명의 가난은 불행을 가져오지 않으니, 어떤 망명지라도 사람을 위한 충분한 양식을 제공하지 않는 곳은 없습니다." - 세네카, 헬비아에게 보내는 위로의 글, 10.11b)   It can be beneficial to reflect on what you used to accept as normal. Consider your first paycheck-how big it seemed then. Or your first apartment, with its own bedroom and bathroom and the ramen you gladly scarfed down in the kitchen. Today, as you've become more successful, these conditions would hardly feel sufficient. In fact, you probably want even more than what you have right now. Yet just a few years ago those paltry conditions were not only enough, they felt great!   When we become successful, we forget how strong we used to be. We are so used to what we have, we half believe we'd die without it. Of course, this is just the comfort talking. In the days of the world wars, our parents and grandparents ...

"How appropriate that the gods put under our control only the most powerful ability that governs all the rest-the ability to make the right use of external appearances-and that they didn't put anything else under our control. Was this simply because they weren't willing to give us more? I think if it had been possible they would have given us more, but it was impossible.-EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 1.1.7-8 ("신들이 나머지 모든 것을 지배하는 가장 강력한 능력, 즉 외부적 모습을 올바르게 사용하는 능력만 우리의 통제하에 두고 다른 어떤 것도 우리의 통제하에 두지 않은 것은 얼마나 적절한가. 단순히 신들이 우리에게 더 많은 것을 주고 싶지 않았기 때문일까요? 가능했다면 우리에게 더 많은 것을 줄 수 있었겠지만 불가능했습니다." -에픽테토스, <담화록>, 1.1.7-8)   We could look at the upcoming day and despair at all the things we don't control: other people, our health, the temperature, the outcome of a project once it leaves our hands.   Or we could look out at that very same day and rejoice at the one thing we...