Meditations
Sorry I'm reading your journal, my dear emperor.
"Hey Copilot...
...summarize Meditations by Marcus Aurelius in the style of Pee Wee Herman."
Ha Ha! Alrighty! So, “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius, right? It’s like a big ol’ diary of this Roman Emperor dude, Marcus Aurelius, who was really into this thing called Stoic philosophy1. He’s got all these thoughts about life, dealing with people, nature, the gods, and even the big ‘D’ - death2! He’s all about being a good human, experiencing things, and practicing virtues2. Even when things get tough, like dealing with difficult people, he’s like, "No problemo! I can work around this and turn it into an opportunity for my soul to get better!"2. It’s like he’s saying, "Hey, life may seem random, but don’t sweat it! Everything will be absorbed back into the logos, and in the meantime, just have a goal and live in harmony with nature as you chase that goal."2. It’s deep stuff, man! But also super cool! Ha Ha!
My actual take
Temporal hubris is problematic. We think that, just because we have lived decades or even centuries before someone, that we must know better. We must be more intelligent. We have to be more advanced.
After all, progress is constant and inevitable, right?
Mediations is the most well known of the major Stoic works, and it has never felt more relevant. Written by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, one of the five "Good Emperors," the book outlines a breadth of practical applications for stoic philosophy that apply, I think, to any human being regardless of location or status.
Only focus on what you can control. Live every day as if tomorrow were not guaranteed. Don't suffer more from imagined troubles than real ones. Accept the good and the bad from life because anything else is to hate life. These are the teachings of a wise man and we would do well to listen.
Things to Read
