The Daily Stoic7 Mai 2019

Who To Be Friends With?

Of the Stoics, Seneca seems like the one who had the most fun. He’s the one who it’s easiest to picture spending time with friends or mingling at a dinner party (in fact, he was known for his legendary parties with hundreds of guests). Whereas almost all of Marcus’s writing is private and solitary, and Epictetus’s comes to us in the form of lecture notes from his students, a sizeable chunk of what survives of Seneca are the letters he wrote to his dear friend Lucilius.

We don’t know too much about Lucilius, except that he was a governor of Sicily and possibly also a writer. Nor do we know much about who the guests at Seneca’s parties were. But from what we do know, we can gather than Seneca was social and had a large circle of friends and acquaintances with whom he spent a lot of time.

Which begs the question: How did he choose these friends? We can hope—and expect—that Seneca’s many friendships adhered to the rule he put down to Lucilius in one of those famous letters:

“Associate with those who will make a better man of you. Welcome those whom you yourself can improve.”

It’s an impossible thing to know really—even for ourselves—how we came to know most of the people in our lives. But how they stayed in our lives? How our acquaintances evolved into friendships, that should be easier to figure out. And Seneca’s rule is a wonderful guide because what he’s describing is what friendship is about. A process of mutual improvement, benefit, and enjoyment.

We become like the people we spend the most time with...so we should choose wisely. And we should choose widely because life is too short to live lonely or narrowly—even for a Stoic

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(3118)

You Fought The Wall and the Wall Won | When Self-Discipline Becomes a Vice

“Why should we get angry at the world,” Marcus Aurelius writes, “as if the world would notice?”Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🇺🇸 USA d...

2 Sep 17min

BONUS | 7 Books AI Can't Replace

In this bonus episode, Ryan shares seven books that will help you think more clearly, use AI wisely, and become harder to replace.🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeBuZjNq8u0📚 ...

1 Sep 5min

As Above, So Below | How Seeing Earth From Space Changes You (with Astronaut Mark Kelly)

We need to take a step back from problems, arguments, and frustrations. To look at the bigger picture. Watch the full episode with Senator and Astronaut Mark Kelly here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

1 Sep 8min

This is What You Do With Your Freedom? | A Strong Soul Is Better Than Good Luck

People have, since Prometheus, developed technology that frees us from backbreaking drudgery and toil. And what do you do with this freedom, this incredible bounty?🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday ...

31 Aug 6min

The Most Life Changing Marcus Aurelius Quotes

Marcus Aurelius has only one core work, which was actually never intended for publication: his Meditations. This is not only one of greatest books ever written but perhaps the only book of its kind. I...

30 Aug 7min

Jet Li on Inner Peace, Ego, and What True Strength Looks Like

Behind Jet Li’s martial arts mastery and international fame is a deeply personal journey to understand purpose, ego, and freedom. In today’s episode, he sits down with Ryan to discuss the three levels...

29 Aug 1h

BONUS | 7 Stoic Rules for Staying Disciplined

Discipline is a daily practice, and these seven Stoic rules will help you stick with it.📚 Pick up a copy of Discipline is Destiny by Ryan Holiday🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a cit...

28 Aug 3min

When It’s Not How You Imagined | Seeking Out Shipwrecks

Fortune behaves however she pleases, as Seneca put it.🎶 Song lyrics: Lost Weekend - Phoebe Bridgers📚 Books: The Daily Stoic Lives of the Stoics 🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a cit...

28 Aug 7min