The Daily Stoic13 Mars 2019

Why You Should Read Biographies

“I don’t have time to read a book that long,” you might say when someone recommends one of those epic volumes from the Ron Chernows and Robert Caros and Stacy Schiffs of the world. And Alban Butler’s The Lives of the Saints? Or Plutarch? Who has time to read that dusty old collection about the lives of the ancient Greeks and Romans?

The answer is that you do. Or rather, that you should make time to study the greats of history.

In Book Four of Meditations, Marcus writes::

“And then you might see what the life of a good man is like—someone content with what nature assigns him, and satisfied with being just and kind himself.”

What’s the “if” that came before the “then” he is referring to? We can only guess. That is the entirety of his writing on this point. But not unlike a Jeopardy answer with multiple possible questions, this one fits:

What is it to study history and biographies?

Marcus and Seneca and Epictetus were all intimately familiar with the lives of the greats (and not-so-greats) that came before them. And in this study they had come to know, as Marcus said, what a good life looked like. They learned from the experiences and the follies of the earlier generations—they saw across the pages of many books why contentment and justice and kindness were so important (and the perils of the opposite traits).

So make a commitment today—this month, this year—to start reading more biographies. It’s an important step in the path to wisdom.

P.S. If you want to try any of a lot of books for free, you might like Scribd, which is essentially Netflix for books. Click here to sign up for a one month free trial of unlimited audiobooks and ebooks plus free subscription to magazines like Bloomberg Business Week, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, Fortune and the New York Times. Sign up today.

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

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(3100)

This Is Your Ticket to Freedom | What Ryan Holiday Told Shawn Ryan to Read Next

We may not control what happens to us, what other people decide, or what circumstances take away. But we can still choose what we believe, how we respond, and who we become.💡 We designed our How To R...

20 Aug 13min

Can You Just Shut Up? | Stoicism vs. Epicureanism: Enemies or Allies?

To enter into another person’s mind, even for a moment, we first need to get out of our own head. 📚 Books Mentioned:Working by Robert CaroArt of Happiness by EpicurusLives of the Stoics by Ryan Holid...

19 Aug 24min

Isn’t This What We’re After?

Why is that self-command and self-knowledge so elusive? How can we find it?💡 We designed our How To Read Epictetus (A Daily Stoic Guide) as a personal field guide —part book club, part masterclass, p...

18 Aug 3min

"I’m 56. I Lost My Faith, But I Found Strength in Stoicism"

Keith thought he knew what his purpose was. Then his daughter got sick, his life took an unexpected turn, and Stoicism was put to a test he never expected.If Keith’s story has inspired you to share yo...

18 Aug 7min

BONUS | 11 Things Stoics Never Do

Which of these do you struggle with the most?🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and...

17 Aug 4min

Oh, You’re Free, Are You? | Only Fools Rush In

We are prickly about our freedom…as we willingly submit to all sorts of addictions. 📚 Books Mentioned: Zero to One by Peter ThielLives of the Stoics by Ryan HolidayBlue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan KimT...

17 Aug 5min

Who Was Marcus Aurelius' Favorite Stoic?

Most philosophers wrote about struggle, freedom, and resilience from a place of privilege. But one Stoic’s story raises a fascinating question: what can a life shaped by hardship teach us about what i...

16 Aug 25min

The David Cross Episode

Ryan sits down with comedian and actor David Cross for a conversation that goes just about everywhere. They talk about Stoicism, comedy, politics, free speech, parenting, privilege, entitlement, and m...

15 Aug 54min