Stoicism for a Better Life – Weekly exercise (February 13, 2019)

Hello there,

I want to continue this trend of practicing virtue in obscure places we might not have though of. We did the dining table two weeks ago, and meal prep/dining out/grocery shopping last week. This week, let us draw inspiration from Seneca – LVIII 25:

“…we at times should slacken our minds and refresh them with some sort of entertainment. But let even your entertainment be work; and even from these various forms of entertainment you will select, if you have been watchful, something that may prove wholesome.”

We are human beings, not machines, and so we need rest and relaxation from time to time. What’s life without a little whimsy and R&R. However, this does not mean that we should throw our higher faculties into the wind, as it were, and merely appeal to the sensory pleasures. We can still be virtuous and chose our entertainment wisely. For example, watch some television, but ask yourself, is this series you are binge watching wholesome? Is it teaching you something, or giving you an introspective look into the human condition?

A good personal example I can give you is what I call my night time books. At any given time I am reading a few books, all (but one) of which are for the pursuit of wisdom and the study of philosophy. However, I have a night time (bedtime if you will) book that I read in bed before bedtime. I find I do not have the necessary faculties to concentrate on learning as I wind down, so I need something lighter. this is the only time I read fiction. However, I still chose to read novels that give me an introspective look into the human condition (as an example) that gives me fodder to reflect on the next day when I sit down with my journal. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is such an example (and if you have not read it yet, get it, you won’t be disappointed.

So this week, pick your entertainment wisely. Read fiction. Go out and watch something. Spend time with friends and family. But remember that fun and entertainment, like any other external, comes in a variety of colours and flavours. Consciously try and pick the ones that are good for the most important faculty we have: Our Prohairesis, or our faculty of judgment.

Do let us know at the end of the week how it went, lessons learnt and tricks or ideas you’ve come up with. Good luck and much love to you all.

Anderson Silver

(Author of “Your User’s Manual” and “Vol 2: Your Duality Within”)