The Daily Stoic20 Feb 2019

Speak The Truth, Let Them Howl

No matter what your profession is, there are things you can say that will cost you. Speaking up against somebody’s pet project can get an officer passed over for promotion. Voicing a certain political viewpoint can cost you fans or endorsements. Challenging the status quo can bring a hail of critics and haters.

And in those situations, what should we do? The answer to the Stoic is pretty simple: Speak the truth. Yes, howls may follow. Recriminations can as well. And? And what?

Nassim Taleb’s rule of thumb is worth remembering always: If you see fraud and do not say ‘fraud,’ you are a fraud. But that’s worth broadening a bit:

If you know the truth and decline to speak the truth, you are not living truthfully.

There are some exceptions to this rule, of course. Seneca speaks of a man whose son was executed by the emperor and then forced to dine with the tyrant after. The emperor was goading the obviously pained father to acknowledge who was the source of that pain (he wanted to see the pain he had caused, he wanted to feel his dominance over him) and yet the man never broke—because he had another son. OK, that’s a good excuse. But these other petty self-protections? Nope.

If you know the truth, speak it. If you believe in a truth, live it. Even if it costs you. Even if it’s a pain in the ass. Because to do otherwise is to lie. To do otherwise is to be a coward. To do otherwise is to allow darkness to put out the light.

The truth matters. Prove it. Be the light.

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

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(3066)

9 Stoic Habits For A Better Life

Virtue is like any other skill. It’s not something you either have or you don’t. It’s something you practice, and the more you practice it, the better you become. This was Aristotle’s fundamental insi...

25 Jul 0s

BONUS | Made For Working Together

According to the Stoics, we humans have a higher obligation—not to the gods but to each other. 📔 Pick up your own leather bound signed edition of The Daily Stoic! Check it out at the Daily Stoic Stor...

24 Jul 0s

We Are All Kings Now | Why We Can’t Stop Talking About The Odyssey

You’re the king now. The Republic is in your hands. Can you keep it?-- Featured guests in order of appearance: Kenny Curtis | Full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTubeStephen Greenblatt | Full ...

24 Jul 0s

They Have Been Misled | The Road Trip That Put Stoicism To The Test

If we want people to change, we have to give them a way to see the truth for themselves.👉 Watch Ryan Holiday on Mike Herrera's Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HEuo5HxHiQ📚 Join the Quarterl...

23 Jul 0s

Is It Even Possible To Be Happy?

A master does not actually master anything. The Stoics understood this.👉 The Daily Stoic Habits for Success, Habits for Happiness course is a six-week challenge designed to change your entire relatio...

22 Jul 0s

How Epictetus Captured The Mind Of Marcus Aurelius

One of history’s most powerful rulers was shaped by a teacher he never met. In this episode, Ryan talks with Professor William O. Stephens about how Marcus Aurelius discovered Epictetus, why the forme...

22 Jul 0s

This Is How You Change | What Is Our Duty To Society?

Change is hard but it doesn’t mean you have to be hard on yourself.📚 Books Mentioned: In My Time Of Dying 👉 The Daily Stoic Habits for Success, Habits for Happiness course is a six-week challenge de...

21 Jul 0s

The Wealthiest Person is a Pauper | Practice Gentleness Instead of Anger

The Stoics understood that the wealthiest person can still be a pauper—poor in peace, poor in contentment, poor in perspective.📚 The Daily Stoic Journal: 366 Days of Writing and Reflection on The Art...

20 Jul 7min