Life Is Too Short To Read Bad Books
To the Stoics, it wasn’t that we read. It’s what we read. We should seek out books that make a difference in our lives…not ones that win prizes. What matters is what we think of the books, not what ot...
26 Feb 202346min
William D. Cohan on Power, Ego, and the Imperial CEO
Ryan speaks with William D. Cohan about his new book Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of an American Icon, the link between Marcus Aurelius and the “imperial CEO” of General Electric Jack Welch, the l...
25 Feb 20231h 5min
Take This Seriously…But Not TOO Seriously | The Real Source of Harm
Punctuality is a matter of self-discipline, but also respect. We must be aware of and in command of our schedule and the time we’ve allocated to different people and activities. We must also care abou...
24 Feb 202310min
They Are Not Your Rivals | Ask DS
What’s the opposite of Stoicism, this austere philosophy based on toughness and resilience, virtue and service? Well, in the ancient world, it was Epicureanism–a philosophy that said that pleasure was...
23 Feb 20239min
Anthony Everitt on Nero, Rome’s Most Misunderstood Emperor
Ryan speaks with Anthony Everitt about his book Nero: Matricide, Music, and Murder in Imperial Rome, how Rome would have been different if Nero were free to become a musician, why Nero’s overbearing m...
22 Feb 20231h 4min
You Can’t Turn Away From Things That Are Hard
One way to go through life is to turn away from the things that are hard. You can close your eyes and ears to what is unpleasant. You can take the easy way, forgoing difficulty whenever possible. The ...
22 Feb 20233min
Have You Considered This? | 60 Stoic Lessons In 1 Minute Or Less
We all have reasons we don’t like something. We think a certain comedian isn’t funny or is a hack. We think a certain author is too basic or overhyped. We think that Oscar-winning movie is total garba...
21 Feb 202346min
How To Achieve Things | Reduce Wants, Increase Happiness
It’s always been difficult to concentrate. In one of his letters, Seneca talks about trying to write while Rome resounds beneath him with cacophony. There are street sellers and protestors and a fight...
20 Feb 20238min
