Yesterday, I had cause to look through my copy of Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, to assist in an issue that had come up with a friend’s Facebook message. I had a think about my best response, and couldn’t decide, but after looking through my Marcus’s great 2000 year old book, I found the perfect responses.
It was about people who are always seeking validation from others, as the essence of the discussion, and after reading the book, and looking at my own thoughts and ideas, I realised I value my own opinion far more that the opinions of others …
I don’t mean this in an up myself kind of way, but in a far more considered way than that. I don’t spend time thinking each morning, as such, but I certainly do think further about most things that come up in my life. Being a poet, blogger and writer, as I am, my opinion is a valuable tool, to get my very best words written and out to the public.
Humans are still humans and even though there are far fewer slaves around these days, and we no longer have stadia where there are fights to the death, for real, there are such things in a more metaphorical sense still. Being out on the road in heavy traffic, looking to get in front of that damned car, what is that, if not a battle with death as a possible end, if things go wrong.
And the way so many people are mistreated in their workplace these days, well, they would have been better off if they were treated like slaves, at least they’d have been looked after, and cared about to some extent, if they did their job well. Not like the way bosses in contemporary times short change their workers, especially the most vulnerable ones!
So yes, I definitely feel that Stoicism is very much still relevant these days. What do you think about it, I’d love to know, please leave a message and we can look further into the whole thing, perhaps!
My Stoic Life 