Stoic Reflections: Morality & Developing Systems
Musings from Epictetus’ Discourses — Week 15
April 9th, 2024
And if instead of being a man, a civilized and sociable creature, you’ve become a wild beast that is harmful, treacherous, and liable to kill, have you lost nothing at all? What, must you lose a bit of money to suffer any damage, and does the loss of nothing else cause damage to a human being? If you were to lose your knowledge of grammar and music, you’d regard that loss as being damaging; and yet if you lose your sense of shame, and dignity, and kindliness, you count that as being of no importance?
Seems like people are more concerned about losing money than they are about losing one’s morality.
Even if I look at my own actions, I tend to think twice when it concerns my financial well-being compared to actions that may damage my character such as repeating poor habits or giving into poor ways of thinking.
You should look through the lens of your character when making decisions, the same as you might with your finances. But, can you really go through life without taking action that might or will damage your character? Even with finances, you do have to gamble or risk your money every now and then and deal with the consequences if things don’t work out.
However, those actions are typically more informed. Although some financial risk is taken on a whim such as gambling, more often than not it’s planned. But actions concerning our character are taken on a whim. Often for pleasure.
That’s the distinction.
It comes down to making informed decisions.
April 12th, 2024
Is the pleasure of the moment, then, something that can properly inspire us with pride? Take care not to say that it is, or I’ll no longer regard you as being worthy of even using the scales!
The aversion to pleasure is one thing I don’t fully agree with. Part of the human experience is to indulge in pleasure. Your existence is short and there are plenty of pleasurable moments worthy of your limited time. But what pleasure is worth it and what isn’t? That’s the distinction you have to make for yourself.
One way to do that is by listening to yourself. If you feel shame and guilt after a particular act then perhaps that pleasure wasn’t worth it. But this isn’t a perfect system because there are people who have been conditioned to feel guilt and shame for simply feeling happy or putting themselves first. For them, shame and guilt might be an indication that they did the right thing and over time they can break the conditions set upon them.
So, first and foremost, you have to understand yourself. See where you come from and what kind of person you are. Once you know that, then you can determine a system to help you navigate life.
Originally published at http://learnedlivingorg.wordpress.com on April 15, 2024.