Notes on “Guide to the Good Life - Ancient Art of Stoic Joy”

1 Introduction

• If you lack a grand goal in life, you lack a coherent philosophy in life

2 Chapter 1

• Many different schools of philosophy - Stoics, Cynics, Epicureans, Sophists, etc

3 Chapter 2

• Cynics - ascetics. This is not what Stoic are
• Stoicism has roots in Cynicism - Zeno studied under Crates, a Cynic
• Stoics - abandon asceticism of Cynics
• Stoicism in ancient Greece had three core parts - Logic, Physics, and Ethics. Logic was studied since it was believed that man’s distinguishing feature is his rationality
• Studied eudaemonistic ethics - ethics of good spirit
• You can have a bad life and make good living.
• To be virtous, means to live in accordance with nature
• Sage to Stoicism as Buddha to Buddhism
• Romans (with Marcus Aurelius) abandoned most of the Logic and Physics part in favor of focusing on the ethics. This is the main difference between Roman and Greek stoics.
• Romans another goal - tranquility, although it is believed that the Greek stoics had this as an implied and obvious goal.
• The Virtous circle - Tranquility -> Virtue -> Tranquility ad infinitum

4 Chapter 3

• “We must be ready to give up the good things without regret if our circumstances shall change”
• Seneca was killed by Nero
• Constant joy and cheerfulness evolves from finding delight in your own resources
• You have to learn how to feel joy - “joyful Stoic” is not an oxymoron, and the adjective ‘stoical’ usually is interpreted not in the way it was intended to be.
• Emporero Vespasian banished all philosphers from Rome except Musonius
• As a Stoic, you are required to participate in the world
• Epictetus encouraged bidirectional lectures - it was more of a conversation between him and his pupils.

5 Chapter 4

• Bad things will happen
• “He robs present ills of their power who has perceived their coming beforehand”
• Misofortune worse on those who expect “nothing but good fortune”
• Our core problem - humans are insatiable
• Problem of Hedonic Adaptation - arises in many instances (Consumerism, Career, Relationships). This leads to a satisfaction treadmill.
• Actions you can take:
  • Forestall adaptation process
  • Desire things you already have
  • Practice negative visualization - losing things you currently have
• Negative Visualization
  • Contemplate losing things you currently have
  • Contemplate the parting of your friends and relatives
  • Contemplate your own death
  • This, while it seems negatives, prepares you for the events so they aren’t as drastic, and helps you appreciate your current moment and situation, and hence extract joy out of it.
• Live each day as it were your last - not hedonistically though; meaning just appreciate everything around you more, take the time to inhale the air, smell the grass, delect yourself with your tea
• Reflect on losing your possessions
• Wonder about negative things, but too much, and don’t let it affect your emotions too much. You are to contemplate and wonder, and not sadden yourself. Above all, do not become a pessimist.

6 Chapter 5

• Concern with external vs internal
• There are things over which
  • We have complete control
  • We have some control
  • We have no control
• Do not worry at all about things over which you have no control - it’s futile!
• We have complete control over our values, goals we set for ourselves, opinions, and character
• Set for yourself internal and not external goals. If are to play a game of tennis, make it your goal to play to the best of your ability, and not to win. That way it’s much less likely you will fail, which could destroy your tranquility.
• Categorize things into those categories. This will help you prioritize them.

7 Chapter 6

• Fatalism - past and future
• Be fatalistic of the past, you can’t change it. Do not have “if only” thoughts, they are not helpful.
• Fatalism of the present. You cannot change “now”, this very moment.
• For present events, want them to happen the way they do happen, you will be happier this way.
• Learn to be happy with what you have.
• Live in the moment

8 Chapter 7

• Acts of voluntary discomfort
  • Helps appreciate what you have
  • Hardens for worse times
  • Trains you to be courageous
• You need to train your self control - it is one of the most important skills to acquire. Train it, for example, refuse things that you really do want.
• Foregoing pleasures can itself be pleasant. In the moment, you realize the power you have over your own desires, and that can lead you to be happier.

9 Chapter 8 - Meditation

• This is more about reflection, and not the Zen type of meditation.
• Reflect on the day. What could you have done better ? Were you logical ?
• During your daily life, pretend there is a third observer, assessing your behaviour and practice of stoicism.
• Use as a checklist to see if you you are following Stoic principles.
• Be inconspicuous in your practice of Stoicism.

10 Chapter 9 - On Loving Mankind

• Other people are the cause of your worst and best emotions and experiences.
• Fear of how other people think of us.
• You have a duty to form and maintain relationships with other people.
• Your primary function is: be rational.
• Goal: “Service and harmony of all”
• Fear vs Reward motivation. Strive towards reward motivation.

11 Chapter 10 - On Dealing With Other People

• Do not befriend corrupted people; they might contaminate you.
• Pause to reflect on your own shortcomings.
• Do not think about what other people are thinking of, unless required by social duty.
• Best form of revenge: Refuse to be like your opponent.

12 Chapter 11 - Insults

• Consider the insult. Is it true ? If it is, then you have little reason to be upset.
• The insulter might be wrong, have the wrong idea. Explain it.
• If you respect the source, it would be foolish to get upset.
• If you do not respect the source, be relieved that it is this type of individual that thinks so.
• Become increasingly indifferent of people’s opinions of you.
• A sage would take insults as barking of a dog - just background noise.
• Respond to insults with humour, or if you can’t, with nothing.

13 Chapter 12 - Grief

• Let your tears flow, but let them also cease.
• Use retrospective negative visualization.
• Use reason to cure excessive grief.

14 Chapter 13 - Anger

• Being angry is waste of precious time.
• You could still punish, but without anger; more to teach a lesson.
• You can pretend to be angry in order to motivate others.
• Laughter is a good response.
• Contemplate the impermanence of the world around us to realize the triviality of the source of your anger.
• Force yourself to think about joyful, merry things when angry.
• “Life is too short to spend in a state of anger”

15 Chapter 14 - Personal Values - Fame

• People are unhappy as they are confused as to what is valuable
• The price of fame outweighs the possible benefits from it.
• Stoics seek freedom - you do not want to give others power over yourself.
• Be indifferent to what other people think of you.
• Pursue your dreams despite the possibility of failure.

16 Chapter 15 - On Luxurious Living

• Wealth has the power to make people miserable.
• Luxury uses her wit to promote vices.
• “The man who adapts himself to his slender means and makes himself wealthy on a little sum, is the truly rich man.”
• Of course you can also be wealthy, but not cling to it.

17 Chapter 16 - Exile

• In exile, you still have the most valuable things: yourself, your mind, and your values.

18 Chapter 17 - Old Age

• There will come a day when you don’t need to imagine you’ll be old.
• Failing to develop a philosophy of life leads to wasting the one life you had.
• Practicing stoicism when young prepares you for old age.

19 Chapter 18 - Dying

• Is a life in which nothing is worth dying for, a life worth living ?

20 Chapter 19 - On Becoming a Stoic

• Avoid becoming a connoisseur
• Start now. Your life has already begun. The clock is ticking.

21 Chapter 20 - Decline of Stoicism

• Thoreau - “How best can I live my life?”
• In between you and happiness - defects in your philosophy of life.
• Do not consider yourself a victim of anything.
• No one has it in their power to ruin your life.
• We are responsible for our own happiness.
• Remember to extinguish your desire for fame.
• Work at wanting the things you already have.

22 Chapter 21 - Stoicism Reconsidered

• Do not bind yourself to some one way. Customize your Stoicism to your liking.

23 Chapter 22 - Practicing Stoicism

• Stealth stoicism
• Start with one technique - negative visualization
• “Nothing is worth doing pointlessly” - Marcus Aurelius
• Laugh
• As a Stoic, you will constantly be preparing yourself for hardship.