210607 What I learned in my studies this morning

Daily reflection

On wisdom of others long

Buried in the past.

Daily Stoic: 

I have been lucky in my life. My parents are excellent role models for me. They love each other, taught me right from wrong, instilled in me a sense of decency, and generally gave me the tools I needed to begin life.  Unworthy student that I am, I had to touch the stove to prove it really was hot; I still needed the experience of life to make these lessons stick, though.

Even with these advantages, I understand that my parents are limited humans: good people, but neither omniscient nor omnisophic.

Because of this, I follow the lead of the quote in my header: “Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for."

There are a million, million books out there that contain something I can learn. Some bit of wisdom, earned through someone else's struggle, which I can take in, adopt, adapt, and use in my own life in my pursuit of satisfaction and serenity.

So much wisdom. So little time.

 

Today's Meditation:

From A Calendar of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy

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

Chapter 14: Personal Values — On Seeking Fame

Adopting their values? To win someone's admiration, we would need to adopt their values. (If we didn't live according to what they thought valuable, why would they bother to admire us?) 

Are their values better than your own? If so, you can alter your views without putting it on display for them to judge. If not, why would you sacrifice your virtue for their ephemeral approval? 

Practice ignoring disdain. If we want to live without regard to the disapproval of others, deliberately courting their criticism can prepare us for times when such censure is unbidden or surprising to us. 

Cato did exactly this, ignoring fashions and public opinion as training “to be ashamed only of what was really shameful, and to ignore men’s low opinion of other things.”