Don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.

Don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.

1080. The path to peace

What quality belongs to you? The intelligent use of impressions. If you use impressions as nature prescribes, go ahead and indulge your pride, because then you will be celebrating a quality distinctly your own.

What quality belongs to you? The intelligent use of impressions. If you use impressions as nature prescribes, go ahead and indulge your pride, because then you will be celebrating a quality distinctly your own.

1079. The use of impressions

It is not events that disturb people, it is their judgements concerning them.

It is not events that disturb people, it is their judgements concerning them.

1078. Facts vs value judgments

When you’re about to embark on any action, remind yourself what kind of action it is. If you’re going out to take a bath, set before your mind the things that happen at the baths, that people splash you, that people knock up against you, that people steal from you. And you’ll thus undertake the action in a surer manner if you say to yourself at the outset, ‘I want to take a bath and ensure at the same time that my choice remains in harmony with nature.’

When you’re about to embark on any action, remind yourself what kind of action it is. If you’re going out to take a bath, set before your mind the things that happen at the baths, that people splash you, that people knock up against you, that people steal from you. And you’ll thus undertake the action in a surer manner if you say to yourself at the outset, ‘I want to take a bath and ensure at the same time that my choice remains in harmony with nature.’

1077. You should always have two goals in mind

If you kiss your child or your wife, say to yourself that it is a human being that you're kissing; and then, if one of them should die, you won't be upset.

If you kiss your child or your wife, say to yourself that it is a human being that you're kissing; and then, if one of them should die, you won't be upset.

1076. Remember, we are all mortals

What, after all, are sighing and crying, except opinions? What is ‘misfortune’? An opinion. And sectarian strife, dissension, blame and accusation, ranting and raving – they all are mere opinion.

624. Facts don't come with judgments attached to them

Epictetus reminds us that to become a better person we need to apply our reasoning faculty to arrive at better judgments.

623. The raw material of the good person

Epictetus puts to rest the notion that Stoics are supposed to suppress their emotions.

622. We need to be human beings, not statues

There are three areas of training in Stoic ethics: to desire the proper things, to act properly in the world, and to arrive at the best possible judgments.

621. The three disciplines of Epictetus

Epictetus stresses the difference between physical and inner beauty.

620. Socrates and Alcibiades

Seneca notices that people fear old age in part because they fear irrelevance. But no one is irrelevant so long as they keep striving to be better human beings.

619. Give yourself a break (from externals)

People who seek external goods become the slaves of those who happen to have the power to grant such goods.

618. Free yourself from the fickleness of others

What sort of things are truly important in your life, and why? Should you be reconsidering your current priorities?

617. Pay attention to the ledger of your life

People with misguided priorities live a wretched life, so let's get our priorities straight and aim for a serene existence instead.

616. How to avoid a wretched life

Seneca writes a poignant passage reminding us of the futile waste of human life that war is.

615. On the futility of war

Occasional reflections on the wisdom of Ancient Greek and Roman philosophers with Prof. Massimo Pigliucci. Complete index by author and source at https://massimopigliucci.org/stoic-podcast/. (cover art by Marek Škrabák; original music by Ian Jolin-Rasmussen).

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