Whatever You Call It, Steer Clear | Ask DS
The Daily Stoic29 Feb 2024

Whatever You Call It, Steer Clear | Ask DS

Marcus Aurelius called it a few different things. His translators varied even more in their interpretations. Gregory Hays used the word “imperialization.” Robin Waterfield called it “becoming Caesarified” and “dyed in purple.” Pierre Hadot has it, “becoming Caesarized.” George Long translates it, “Take care that thou art not made into a Caesar, that thou art not dyed with this dye.” In The Daily Stoic, we have Marcus express his worry of being “stained purple.”

Ok, but what is he actually talking about? He’s talking about being corrupted by power, changed by the position and fame that he has. And we know this was a lifelong concern of his. One story has Marcus Aurelius breaking down in tears when he’s told he will someday be emperor, not because he was sad, but because his study of history taught him how few people managed to leave the job unscathed, let alone unchanged.

While none of us will wear the purple cloak of the emperor (that’s what Marcus was referring to about being dyed), hopefully, we will be successful. Hopefully, we will earn positions of influence and power and respect. What will this reveal about us? What might it corrupt or corrode?

It is a timeless battle, a timeless temptation. Stoicism is here to help us with it. Meditations, specifically, is one of the only books ever written by a person with that much power, one of the only books by a person who power did not make worse, and about how to remain good and decent and virtuous when there is every excuse and opportunity not to.

-

On today’s Thursday episode of the Daily Stoic podcast, Ryan talks with over 150 employees from Austin Central Library during their staff development and apperception day. They discuss why Ryan became an author, writing process, and the importance of reading and learning from ancient wisdom.


✉️ Sign up for the Daily Stoic email: https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail

🏛 Check out the Daily Stoic Store for Stoic inspired products, signed books, and more.

📱 Follow us: Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook

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

Episoder(2955)

Discipline is Doing It Anyway | The Power of Mantra

Discipline is Doing It Anyway | The Power of Mantra

You’re tired. You’re busy. It would be easier to stay home...It’s the perfect excuse. Unless, of course, you are disciplined.Let’s not write the year off just yet. The Daily Stoic New Year New You cha...

26 Jan 8min

Feeling Scared and Overwhelmed? Start Here

Feeling Scared and Overwhelmed? Start Here

Pain and hardship are part of life. From ancient Greece and Rome to now, people have faced plagues, wars, illness, and loss. The question has never been how to avoid it, but how to endure it and find ...

25 Jan 15min

Jaimie Alexander: “I Was Asked If I Wanted to Live or Die”

Jaimie Alexander: “I Was Asked If I Wanted to Live or Die”

You’ve seen Jaimie Alexander as the tough, unstoppable character on screen, but what was happening off camera tells a completely different story. In this episode, Ryan sits down with actress Jaimie fo...

24 Jan 1h 4min

Remember That This Moment is Not Your Life | The Six Stereotypes Of Stoicism

Remember That This Moment is Not Your Life | The Six Stereotypes Of Stoicism

January is January. A slump is a slump. They’re not fun, but neither are they the whole world…or forever.👉 Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - ...

23 Jan 13min

Be Strict with Yourself, Tolerant with Others | Ask Daily Stoic

Be Strict with Yourself, Tolerant with Others | Ask Daily Stoic

It’s important to remember that Stoicism isn’t about judging other people. It’s not a moral philosophy you’re supposed to project and enforce onto the world. No, it’s a personal philosophy that’s desi...

22 Jan 16min

The Stoic Question David Mamet Engraved on His Watch

The Stoic Question David Mamet Engraved on His Watch

David Mamet is one of the most influential writers of the last half-century, so when he talks about craft, discipline, and courage, it’s worth listening. In this episode, David joins Ryan to talk abou...

21 Jan 56min

Don’t Be a Broken Parable

Don’t Be a Broken Parable

Be wary whom you go to work for. Moral compromises add up and eventually destroy you.👉 Check out to James Romm's episode on The Daily Stoic Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube📚 Book Men...

21 Jan 8min

These Days You Need Double What It Takes | Reignite Your Thoughts

These Days You Need Double What It Takes | Reignite Your Thoughts

We can train. We can prepare. This will not be enough. Because more will be expected of us still, more will be piled onto our plates.📔 Pick up your own leather bound signed edition of The Daily Stoic...

20 Jan 7min

Populært innen Business og økonomi

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