(독서) Daily Stoic-10월21일 HEROES, HERE AND NOW

"You have proof in the extent of your wanderings that you never found the art of living anywhere-not in logic, nor in wealth, fame, or in any indulgence. Nowhere. Where is it then? In doing what human nature demands. How is a person to do this? By having principles be the source of desire and action. What principles? Those to do with good and evil, indeed in the belief that there is no good for a human being except what creates justice, self-control, courage and freedom, and nothing evil except what destroys these things."-MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 8.1.(5) (“당신은 방황의 정도에서 논리나 부, 명성, 어떤 방종에서도 삶의 기술을 찾지 못했다는 증거를 가지고 있습니다. 아무데도. 그럼 어디에 있을까요? 인간의 본성이 요구하는 것을 행하는 데 있습니다. 어떻게 해야 할까요? 원칙을 욕망과 행동의 원천으로 삼는 것입니다. 어떤 원칙? 선과 악에 관한 것, 즉 정의, 자제력, 용기, 자유를 창조하는 것 외에는 인간에게 선이 없고, 이러한 것들을 파괴하는 것 외에는 악이 없다는 믿음입니다."-마르쿠스 아우렐리우스, 명상, 8.1.(5))   What's the meaning of life? Why was I born? Most of us struggle with these questions-sometimes when we're young, sometimes not until we're older. Rarely do we find much in the way of direction. But that's simply because we miss the point. As Viktor Frankl points ...

"Since habit is such a powerful influence, and we're used to pursuing our impulses to gain and avoid outside our own choice, we should set a contrary habit against that, and where appearances are really slippery, use the counterforce of our training."-EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 3.12.6 ("습관은 강력한 영향을 미치고 있으며, 우리는 스스로의 선택 밖에서 충동을 따라 무언가를 얻거나 피하려는 데 익숙합니다. 그러므로 우리는 그에 반하는 습관을 길러야 하며, 특히 상황이 정말로 혼란스러울 때는 우리의 훈련이라는 역행하는 힘을 사용해야 합니다." -에픽테토스, 담론, 3.12.6)   When a dog is barking loudly because someone is at the door, the worst thing you can do is yell. To the dog, it's like you're barking too! When a dog is running away, it's not helpful to chase it-again, now it's like you're both running. A better option in both scenarios is to give the dog something else to do. Tell it to sit. Tell it to go to its bed or kennel. Run in the other direction. Break the pattern, interrupt the negative impulse.   The same goes for us. When a bad habit reveals itself, counteract it with a commitment to a contrary virtue. For instance, let's say you find yourself procrastinating today-don't dig in and fight it. Get up and take a walk to clear your head and reset instead. If you find yourself saying something negative or nasty, don't kick yourself. Add something positive and nice to qualify the remark.   Oppose ...

"There's nothing worse than a wolf befriending sheep. Avoid false friendship at all costs. If you are good, straightforward, and well meaning it should show in your eyes and not escape notice." -MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 11.15 (“늑대가 양과 친구가 되는 것보다 더 나쁜 것은 없습니다. 어떤 대가를 치르더라도 거짓 우정은 피하세요. 당신이 선하고, 솔직하고, 선의가 있다면 그것은 당신의 눈에서 드러나야 하고, 눈에 띄지 않아야 합니다.” -마르쿠스 아우렐리우스, 명상, 11.15)   It's pretty obvious that one should keep away from the wicked and two-faced as much as possible-the jealous friend, the narcissistic parent, the untrustworthy partner. At first glance, Marcus Aurelius is reminding us to avoid false friends.   But what if we turn it around? What if, instead, we ask about the times that we have been false to our friends? Ultimately that's what Stoicism is about-not judging other people's behavior, but judging our own.   We've all been a frenemy at one point or another. We've been nice to their face-usually because there was something...

"A benefit should be kept like a buried treasure, only to be dug up in necessity.... Nature bids us to do well by all.... Wherever there is a human being, we have an opportunity for kindness." -SENECA, ON THE HAPPY LIFE, 24.2-3 (“혜택은 묻혀 있는 보물처럼 간직했다가 필요할 때만 파헤쳐야 한다.... 자연은 우리에게 모두에게 잘하라고 명령한다.... 인간이 있는 곳이면 어디든 친절의 기회가 있습니다.” -세네카, 행복한 삶에 관하여, 24.2-3)   The first person you meet today-passing acquaintance or friend- no matter the context -positive or negative-is an opportunity for kindness. Or as different translators have taken this line from Seneca to mean, it is an opportunity for benefit. For both of you. You can seek to understand where they are coming from. You can seek to understand who they are, what they need, and what forces or impulses might be acting on them. And you can treat them well and be better off for it.   The same is true with the second person you encounter, and the third. Of course, there is no ...

"Some people with exceptional minds quickly grasp virtue, or produce it within themselves. But other dim and lazy types, hindered by bad habits, must have their rusty souls constantly scrubbed down.... The weaker sorts will be helped and lifted from their bad opinions if we put them in the care of philosophy's principles." -SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 95.36-37 (“뛰어난 정신을 가진 어떤 사람들은 미덕을 빨리 이해하거나 자신 안에서 미덕을 만들어냅니다. 그러나 나쁜 습관으로 방해받는 다른 어둡고 게으른 유형은 녹슨 영혼을 끊임없이 닦아내야 합니다..... 약한 부류는 철학의 원칙에 맡기면 도움을 받고 나쁜 생각에서 벗어날 수 있을 것이다.” -세네카, 도덕서, 95.36-37)   Stoicism is not an evangelical religion. You're not obligated to save anyone-there's no risk of hell if a soul remains in ignorance of the teachings of Epictetus or Marcus Aurelius.   But now that you've learned and studied a better path, you can be of service to others. You can share your wisdom or insight with a friend or stranger-remembering that behavior is always a better ...