Stoicism for a Better Life – Weekly exercise (July 11, 2021)

Hello there,

Our school teaches us that wisdom is to be found everywhere and is the domain of everyone so let’s find some inspiration for this week’s exercise with one of my favourite philosophers of recent time, Jean-Paul Sartre. Although he was big on existentialism and phenomenology, I find he also had a keen sense for cutting through the BS and getting straight to the point (kind of like that other guy Marcus we all know). Here’s  a quote from our 20th-century philosopher

“Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does. It is up to you to give life a meaning” 

The concept that one cannot experience the liberation found in life unless one can create it in oneself is neither a new idea nor foreign to our school. In a world devoid of purpose and meaning, we can logically only feel like we have a purpose IF we create one for ourselves. In other words, yes we are merely stardust floating through the cosmos…and yes the matter that we are composed of will decompose and wither away to nothing….and yes what we do will not be remembered in 2-3 generations and no one will even mutter our names (probably) beyond that…but shoot we ARE here. We DO exist. And although our time is limited, short and fleeting, we cannot deny that drive within that dares to say “Well shoot…I mean I’m here so might as well do something.”

Finding this “something” to do is a pivotal task, for (I know I repeat Nietzche often) he who has a WHY can endure any HOW…and I can’t be the only one who struggles with the “how” So as a practical exercise this week, take q quick (mid year) inventory of your goals, tasks, priorities, schedule, etc. and challenge each one: Are you necessary? Are you adding purpose to my life? Do I feel like I am truly contributing to the world while I am here, or do I feel like I’m just doing things and going through the motions?

I won’t even tell you what to do from there. You will know how to proceed when you begin to answer some of these. 

Keep challenging your “reality” and the “status-quo” my friends. You only have your freedom to gain.

Anderson Silver (Stoicism for a Better Life)