Hello there, For this week’s exercise, let us find inspiration in Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations IX 42: I have not owned cable television in almost a decade. But when I end up somewhere with cable TV access and flip on the boob-tube, I find nothing but reality TV shows. Even on channels (supposedly) dedicated to learning, we find series after series […]
Here’s the final exercise for Season 1 of Stoicism for a Better Life, and boy is it a doozie! Let’s walk through a logical mental exercise to narrow down what it is we can actually and tangibly do to live the best possible life we can. Want to send in a voice message to Anderson Silver? You may have your […]
Hello there, This week I’m going to draw inspiration from a different source, as our ancient guides tell us wisdom can be found anywhere and is in the public domain. This is from Nietzche ‘s famous work Thus Spoke Zarathustra: “It is the same with man as with the tree. The more he seeks to rise into the height and […]
Being tough, having self-control (say enough to be able to take cold showers) and depriving yourself of luxuries is NOT virtuous. Virtue is found in our effort, not in our self-punishment. However, often a virtuous mindset will lead to a simpler life. The motivation, however, remains the gauge for whether your act is virtuous or not. Want to send in […]
We know for a fact that our time here is limited. Moreover, our loved ones’ time here is limited. So spend time with them while you can. Want to send in a voice message to Anderson Silver? You may have your voicemail featured or answered on a Stoicism for a Better Life episode. Not a fan of Spotify? Stoicism for […]
The past is in the past, the future is uncertain. The only time when we can interact with the world is in our present moment, right here, right now. Want to send in a voice message to Anderson Silver? You may have your voicemail featured or answered on a Stoicism for a Better Life episode. Not a fan of Spotify? […]
Today, I would like to try something different, and instead of starting with a quote from one of our ancient guides, I would like to begin with a story about our ancient guides’ own historical guide: Diogenes. One day, Alexander the Great came up to Diogenes, whom he admired very much, and noted the vagrant philosopher was frantically digging around […]
We live in a culture of consumerism. Buy, buy, buy…own, collect and have. But do we really need all that we own? Do you really need your stuff? Want to send in a voice message to Anderson Silver? You may have your voicemail featured or answered on a Stoicism for a Better Life episode. Not a fan of Spotify? Stoicism […]
Hello there, For this week’s exercise, I wanted to look at our Cynic cousins and reign in our efforts a little bit. It’s nice to be motivated and work towards being a better person with a sense of urgency. This should be our modus vivendi after all, since we want to do good but haven’t the slightest idea on how […]