Meditations
The writings of Marcus Aurelius as translated by Gregory Hays. Available on Amazon.
Meditations is not a story, novel or how-to book. Instead, it is a record of thoughts by Marcus Aurelius Antonius. Despite Marcus being a philosopher king of Rome during the second century, his thoughts about life, nature, and character are relevant and applicable to modern-day people. His writings are associated with the concepts of Stoic philosophy which insist that the practice of virtues is sufficient for a well-lived life.
While I have only a rudimentary knowledge of Stoicism, I can offer the following recurring concepts while reading Meditations:
- Death is certain. What you do with your allotment matters.
- All things act within their nature. Expecting anything else is not rational.
- The only thing you control in life is your mind. What happens is irrelevant. How you choose to think is everything.
Death: Marcus Aurelius emphasizes that death is not optional. Death will come when it comes, and the timing is of no importance. I'm not sure if I'm on the same page with this point, but I do know that death is not avoidable. I think that death was so common in ancient Rome, that seeing the timing as irrelevant would be useful. In today's world, death is less common, and I think we forget that it is coming for all. Only the here and now are important, and all accolades and achievements will eventually fade to nothingness. We are all worm food in the end. Multiple times, Marcus reiterates that the most famous and powerful share the same outcome as the obscure. Given enough time, even the memory of our existence will be lost to the eons. This is not a depressing thought. The point is that if you are rich, famous and powerful you will share the same fate as the peasant.
Nature Prevails: All things tend to act in a manner consistent with their nature. Waves crash upon the shore, bees produce honey, plants blossom, and things that eat must shit. It is not rational to be surprised when nature follows its design. Likewise, human behavior corresponds to an individual's character. Being surprised or outraged when a dishonest person behaves dishonestly is not rational. They are simply acting in a manner consistent with their nature. I tend to agree, but hold out for the possibility of growth and redemption. One of the Stoic principles is self-control, and I like to think that it is more virtuous to resist a temptation that to not be tempted. The alcoholic that refrains from spirits is much more admirable that the person who does not drink because they don't like the taste. Certainly, the teetotaler has less virtue than the sober alcoholic in terms of abstinence.
Managing Thoughts: While we may have the ability to influence nature or people, we do not have the ability to control them. The external world acts independently of our wishes; however, we do have the ability to control the gray mass between our ears. If someone says something offensive, we can be offended, or we can not be offended. The choice is ours and ours alone. In many ways, permitting others to direct our response to something is willingly handing power over to others. Marcus correctly points out that if you are in control of your thoughts, then it is very difficult to be manipulated by those seeking power.
I highly recommend Meditations. Take it slow by reading short sections followed by contemplating the meaning of each section. Considering the advice and philosophy within this book can be helpful even in the 21st century.
November 20, 2023
"All our times have come, here but now they're gone, seasons don't fear the reaper, nor do the wind, the sun or the rain; we can be like they are" (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult.
"And we don't know, just where our bones will rest, to dust I guess, forgotten and absorbed to the Earth below" 1979 - The Smashing Pumpkins.