Things Worse Than Dying
The Daily Stoic8 Okt 2018

Things Worse Than Dying

Death and dying are the worst parts of life, right? After all, they do end the whole thing.

So while it does make sense, generally, to try to avoid dying, Seneca marvelled at the terrible things people do to stay alive--things much worse than death. We’ll betray friends, he said, betray our most closely held beliefs, people will even sell out their own children and grandchildren--as the elderly often do in almost every election--just to keep things the way we like them.

How pathetic is this? And what a contradiction it is. Sure, you’re literally still alive, but you traded your soul to make it so. You might as well be in a coma on a ventilator.

Actually, according to Seneca, that would be better. Because the problem with the pathetic, unprincipled, selfish things we do to stay alive--stealing, hoarding, lying, and cheating--is that we then have to live with them. People do terrible things to live to see the sunrise the next day, he says, “a dawn that’s privy to their many sins.”

There are many worse things than death, many things that no amount of years are worth trading for. That is: Living with what we had to do to keep living, well, that can be worth than death.

We must always remember that. Life is not the scarce resource, living well is. Being a good person is. Doing the right thing is. That’s what important. Not how many years you pile up.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episoder(2914)

It’s Not Supposed To Go Down Easy | This 10 Minute Habit Will Change Your Life

It’s Not Supposed To Go Down Easy | This 10 Minute Habit Will Change Your Life

Amor Fati is a challenge. That’s the whole point.🎥 VIDEO EPISODE | Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DCub4GIbZw🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by...

24 Mar 17min

This Is The Only Thing You Get to Choose | There Is Philosophy In Everything

This Is The Only Thing You Get to Choose | There Is Philosophy In Everything

Fortune behaves as she pleases, the Stoics said. 📘 Grab a copy of The Daily Stoic here: https://store.dailystoic.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to T...

23 Mar 7min

BONUS | Charles Duhigg's Reading List (From Ryan Holiday)

BONUS | Charles Duhigg's Reading List (From Ryan Holiday)

From the archives, Ryan takes Supercommunicators author Charles Duhigg to The Painted Porch after the podcast and shares a stack of book recommendations that still hold up today. 🎙️ Listen to Charle...

22 Mar 14min

You’re Not as Powerful as You Think (Seneca)

You’re Not as Powerful as You Think (Seneca)

We like to think we’re free and other people aren’t. Seneca flips that idea completely. The people in control may be the most trapped of all.Today’s episode is an excerpt from The Tao Of Seneca produc...

22 Mar 15min

The Stoic Secrets Great Leaders Use | Daniel Coyle

The Stoic Secrets Great Leaders Use | Daniel Coyle

The more you control, the worse you lead. In this conversation, Ryan talks with leadership expert Daniel Coyle about why the best teams aren’t run like machines, why connection matters more than contr...

21 Mar 34min

You Can Choose Right Now | The Portable Retreat

You Can Choose Right Now | The Portable Retreat

Someone has to take control. That someone is you. LAST CHANCE 👉 The Spring Forward Challenge starts TODAY! Go to dailystoic.com/spring and enter code DSPOD20 at checkout to get 20% off the Spring Fo...

20 Mar 9min

Break Through While You Still Can | Ask Ryan Holiday

Break Through While You Still Can | Ask Ryan Holiday

Just as seedlings must break through soil, we must break through our comfortable patterns. Nature doesn’t stay dormant forever—and neither should we.1 DAY LEFT 👉 Go to dailystoic.com/spring and enter...

19 Mar 12min

This Is How We Get Death Wrong

This Is How We Get Death Wrong

You’ll never get to live what has been lived again. So why are you rushing? 2 DAYS LEFT 👉 Go to dailystoic.com/spring and enter code DSPOD20 at checkout to get 20% off the Spring Forward Challenge! ...

18 Mar 3min

Populært innen Business og økonomi

lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
stopp-verden
dine-penger-pengeradet
e24-podden
rss-borsmorgen-okonominyhetene
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
finansredaksjonen
livet-pa-veien-med-jan-erik-larssen
pengepodden-2
utbytte
rss-sunn-okonomi
tid-er-penger-en-podcast-med-peter-warren
pengesnakk
liberal-halvtime
stormkast-med-valebrokk-stordalen
morgenkaffen-med-finansavisen
lederpodden
okonomiamatorene
rss-politisk-preik
rss-markedspuls-2