Stoic Meditations

Marcus Aurelius says that we need to stand erect of our own accord, not wait to be propped up by others. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Epictetus on the fact that it isn't exile, pain or death that determine our actions, but our opinions of those things. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Seneca warns us that the path to virtue is easily disrupted by exposing ourselves to temptation and unsavory company. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Hierocles instructs us on a simple mental exercise to practice the Stoic concept of cosmopolitanism. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Musonius Rufus reminds us why we study philosophy, a different pursuit from what goes on in the modern academy. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Marcus Aurelius reminds us that to care for all people is according to (human) nature. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Epictetus tells us that Socrates never replied to the question "where are you from?" with "I am from Athens," but always with "I am a citizen of the world." --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Seneca makes the surprising (to some) statement that Stoicism is all about community and sharing. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Marcus Aurelius tells us to ignore the opinion that others have of us, and to focus our energy instead on positive projects. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Epictetus says that the measure of a person is the goodness of her character. Let's work on it, then! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Seneca makes a surprising statement about the primary aim of philosophy. Surprising, that is, if you confuse Stoicism and stoicism... --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Marcus Aurelius sounds agnostic about the after life. He also seems to think it doesn't matter. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Epictetus observes that even if Plato were handsome and strong, that doesn’t mean those are the traits that made him a great philosopher... --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Seneca has a problem with people who measure their worth by fashion or wealth. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Hierocles reminds us that it is useless to blame things that have no fault. Rather, look at how clumsy or stupid we are sometimes when we use them. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Musonius Rufus says women have the same reasoning abilities as man, the same faculty of distinguishing good from bad. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Marcus Aurelius lists a number of important people who are no more, as a reminder of the impermanence of things, and to help us keep what happens to us in perspective. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Epictetus says that not doing awful things isn’t enough, it’s too lazy. The point is to positively do good things. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Seneca uses a beautiful analogy to explain why the Stoic practitioner should not rely on luck, and indeed should be positively weary of it. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Marcus Aurelius talks about how we should keep our “daimon,” i.e., our deliberating faculty, or our conscience. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support