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.

Avsnitt(2869)

You Are Responsible For How They Make You Feel | Watch Over Your Perceptions

You Are Responsible For How They Make You Feel | Watch Over Your Perceptions

At the core of Stoicism is the idea that our emotions are our responsibility. No one can make us frustrated. No one can offend us either, Epictetus said, not without us being complicit in the taking o...

9 Feb 8min

Bert Kreischer's Reading List (From Ryan Holiday)

Bert Kreischer's Reading List (From Ryan Holiday)

After recording their episode, Ryan and Bert Kreischer stopped by The Painted Porch, where Ryan shared some must-read books with Bert.Watch this episode on Ryan Holiday's YouTube Channel: https://www....

8 Feb 13min

The Philosopher Who Didn’t Care What Anyone Thought

The Philosopher Who Didn’t Care What Anyone Thought

The most fearless philosopher in the ancient world didn’t rule an empire or write books. He lived on the street and begged for food. And yet, he was bold enough to challenge Alexander the Great to his...

7 Feb 23min

This Is A Good Surprise | The Stoic Edge Behind Peak Performance

This Is A Good Surprise | The Stoic Edge Behind Peak Performance

You’re tough. You’re firm. You don’t get bothered by things. You keep yourself under control. Good. But you’re missing something else just as important and perhaps more impressive.📚 Books Mentioned: ...

6 Feb 25min

This is The One Thing You Don’t Accept

This is The One Thing You Don’t Accept

From corruption to tyranny, the Stoics refused to sit on the sidelines. They tried to change things.👉 Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unloc...

5 Feb 2min

BONUS | No One Is Coming to Give You Permission

BONUS | No One Is Coming to Give You Permission

If your New Year motivation didn’t make it to February, this episode is for you. Ryan and his business partner and longtime friend, Brent Underwood, talk about how waiting for permission, perfect cond...

5 Feb 39min

It’s Always Going To Be One-Sided

It’s Always Going To Be One-Sided

It’s always been a dilemma: Why should I be honest when no one else seems to be? Why should I play by the rules when others are so visibly breaking them? Why should I be respectful or kind or fair whe...

4 Feb 2min

Chuck Klosterman: The NFL Explains More About America Than You Think

Chuck Klosterman: The NFL Explains More About America Than You Think

Few writers understand American culture like Chuck Klosterman, which is why he joins Ryan ahead of the Super Bowl to talk about how football reshaped American culture.In this episode, Chuck and Ryan d...

4 Feb 1h 16min

Populärt inom Business & ekonomi

badfluence
framgangspodden
varvet
rss-jossan-nina
rss-borsens-finest
uppgang-och-fall
avanzapodden
fill-or-kill
rss-inga-dumma-fragor-om-pengar
24fragor
lastbilspodden
bathina-en-podcast
rss-dagen-med-di
rss-kort-lang-analyspodden-fran-di
svd-tech-brief
borsmorgon
rss-den-nya-ekonomin
kapitalet-en-podd-om-ekonomi
market-makers
montrosepodden