EPICTETUS. DISCOURSES. Book iv. §6. ¶1.
Monday
January 14
AND it is impracticable, as well as tedious, to
undertake the very thing that Jupiter himself
could not do: to convince all mankind what
things are really good and evil. Is this granted
you? The only thing granted you is to convince
yourself, and you have not yet done that; and
do you, notwithstanding, undertake to convince
others? Why, who hath lived so long with you
as you have with yourself? Who is so likely to
have faith in you, in order to be convinced by
you, as you in yourself? Who is a better wisher,
or a nearer friend to you, than you to yourself?
How is it, then, that you have not yet convinced
yourself? Should not you now turn these things
every way in your thoughts ? What you were
studying was this: to learn to be exempt from
grief, perturbation, and meanness, and to be free.
Have not you heard, then, that the only way that
leads to this is to give up what doth not depend
on choice: to withdraw from it, and confess that
it belongs to others? What kind of thing, then,
is another's opinion about you? — "Independent
on choice." Is it nothing, then, to you? —
"Nothing." While you are still piqued and disturbed
about it, then, do you think that you are
convinced concerning good and evil?
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I see this as a longer version of the statement "take the log out of your own eye before picking at a stick in another's". We should strive to change our world by changing ourselves. Until we have perfected ourselves we cannot presume to judge another.
ReplyDeleteThere is a danger, though, in waiting until one has perfected oneself before sharing the principles of Stoicism. Better to say, 'Look, here is a path! I have gone a short way on it, and it seems interesting. Come with to explore it, and together we will see where it leads.' This is very different from trying to convince, but it is also not a withdrawal. We are not either teachers or students, sometimes we are partners in discovery.
ReplyDeleteI think Stoicism is not particularly evangelical, but rather more a self medical education. We can share with each other, but the tasks are requiring of much individual work. Unlike some religions which have a clear milepost of in or out status (baptism, declaring Mohammed is the prophet, reciting the four spiritual laws) Stoicism has no clear entry rite identifying the sheep from the goats. I think though, by changing ourselves we do change the world, and are an advertisement for the benefits of a stoic life. Like Francis of Assissi said, "Preach the gospel at all times, if necessary use words."
ReplyDeleteGreat post much appreciate the time you took to write this.
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