210606 What I learned in my studies this morning

How does it go? "Fame! 

I'm gonna live forever!" 

Not for me. Hell no. 

Daily Stoic: 

I am not who I was when I was a child. I'm not who I was when I was 20. Or 30 or 40. Hells, I'm not even who I was just a year ago. 

Why do I cling to outdated thinking or behaviors? I must have the courage to change when change is necessary or better than what I am already doing. 

Thus, my studies.

Looking for the better ways. Keeping what continues to work and make me a better person and discarding those habits for which I find better alternatives. 

From A Guide to the Good Life by William B. Irvine 

Chapter 14: Personal Values — On Seeking Fame

Stoics regard fame in many senses. There's historical fame. There's international or national fame. There's regional or city-wide fame. And there's the fame within your local circle. All are, to Stoics, unworthy of pursuit and even ultimately injurious to living a good, serene, satisfied life. 

Sticking to the lowest level (since that is within most people's grasp), seeking high(er) social status requires you to submit to other's demands. Perhaps you have to toady up to someone in order to receive an invite to The Social Event of The Season. Perhaps you need to pretend your personal beliefs are other than what they are so as to curry favor with the in crowd (or, in the days of social media, to avoid online mugging and shaming).

Regardless of the path, it always requires that you deny your true self to please someone else. You sacrifice your personal values and peace for the approval of others. 

What if your efforts be insufficient and you do not receive the invite to The Party or you are not included in the clique? You suffer increased mental and psychic distress. 

And if they are successful? You face additional social duties you may likely find unpleasant just to remain in the other's good graces. 

What others think of us is one of those things which fall into Irvine's third category: "things which are not up to us but which we can influence to some degree." 

The Stoics, for good reason, find it destructive to personal tranquility to pursue this category of things. 

Today's Meditation:

Fame. An interesting idea and something I have not wanted since I was a naive child.

I remember dreams of being a rock god or a movie star. Of being adored wherever I went just because I was famous and people would want to know me or even just be near me to reflect in my greatness.

I gave up the dream for the basest of reasons: it is hard to achieve that status. Now, looking back on the fantasy, I'm glad I gave it up, but for very different reasons. 

Look at our world of social media. Look at the hunger for Warhol's "15 minutes of fame." Yes, some people find their chance and exploit it. They may even parlay it into millions of dollars. And maybe, just maybe, they're happy because of it. The greater chance, though, is that it is not what they bargained for.

Constant demands on their attention and time. Incessesant duties to perform (and a performance it is) lest they not only lose their prominence but also fall below their original station, condemned and vilified for not dancing to a tune they are not calling. 

What a horrid life to lead, at least by my reckoning. Freedom of action is either rare or nonexistent. 

Not for me, thankyouverymuch. No f-ing way.

Today's Meditation, II:

From A Calendar of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy