#stoicism — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #stoicism, aggregated by home.social.
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"Meanwhile, hold fast to this thought, and grip it close: yield not to adversity; trust not to prosperity; keep before your eyes the full scope of Fortune’s power, as if she would surely do whatever is in her power to do."
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"Meanwhile, hold fast to this thought, and grip it close: yield not to adversity; trust not to prosperity; keep before your eyes the full scope of Fortune’s power, as if she would surely do whatever is in her power to do."
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"Meanwhile, hold fast to this thought, and grip it close: yield not to adversity; trust not to prosperity; keep before your eyes the full scope of Fortune’s power, as if she would surely do whatever is in her power to do."
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"Meanwhile, hold fast to this thought, and grip it close: yield not to adversity; trust not to prosperity; keep before your eyes the full scope of Fortune’s power, as if she would surely do whatever is in her power to do."
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"Appearances to the mind are of four kinds. Things either are what they appear to be; or they neither are, nor appear to be; or they are, and do not appear to be; or they are not, and yet appear to be. Rightly to aim in all these cases is the wise man's task."
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"Appearances to the mind are of four kinds. Things either are what they appear to be; or they neither are, nor appear to be; or they are, and do not appear to be; or they are not, and yet appear to be. Rightly to aim in all these cases is the wise man's task."
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"Is it for this purpose that we are strong—that we may have light burdens to bear?"
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Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
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"Two elements must therefore be rooted out once for all—the fear of future suffering, and the recollection of past suffering; since the latter no longer concerns me, and the former concerns me not yet."
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"Two elements must therefore be rooted out once for all—the fear of future suffering, and the recollection of past suffering; since the latter no longer concerns me, and the former concerns me not yet."
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"Two elements must therefore be rooted out once for all—the fear of future suffering, and the recollection of past suffering; since the latter no longer concerns me, and the former concerns me not yet."
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"Two elements must therefore be rooted out once for all—the fear of future suffering, and the recollection of past suffering; since the latter no longer concerns me, and the former concerns me not yet."
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"Two elements must therefore be rooted out once for all—the fear of future suffering, and the recollection of past suffering; since the latter no longer concerns me, and the former concerns me not yet."
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""If the room is smoky, if only moderately, I will stay; if there is too much smoke I will go. Remember this, keep a firm hold on it, the door is always open.""
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""If the room is smoky, if only moderately, I will stay; if there is too much smoke I will go. Remember this, keep a firm hold on it, the door is always open.""
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"“It is nothing—a trifling matter at most; keep a stout heart and it will soon cease”; then in thinking it slight, you will make it slight. Everything depends on opinion; ambition, luxury, greed, hark back to opinion. It is according to opinion that we suffer."
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"You will die, not because you are ill, but because you are alive; even when you have been cured, thesame end awaits you; when you have recovered, it will be not death, but ill health, that you have escaped."
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"There is no sorrow in the world, when we have escaped from the fear of death."
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If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgement of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgement now.
— Marcus Aurelius
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If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgement of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgement now.
— Marcus Aurelius
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"What else is there which you would regret to have taken from you? Friends? But who can be a friend to you? Country? What? Do you think enough of your country to be late to dinner? The light of the sun? You would extinguish it, if you could; for what have you ever done that was fit to be seen in the light?"
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"So near at hand is freedom, and is anyone still a slave?"
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"Would you not think him an utter fool who wept because he was not alive a thousand years ago? And is he not just as much of a fool who weeps because he will not be alive a thousand years from now? It is all the same; you will not be, and you were not. Neither of these periods of time belongs to you."
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"But the wise man knows that all things are in store for him. Whatever happens, he says: “I knew it.”"
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Wise words satisfy like a good meal;
the right words bring satisfaction.— Proverbs 18:20
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Wise words satisfy like a good meal;
the right words bring satisfaction.— Proverbs 18:20
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"But no wall can be erected against Fortune which she cannot take by storm; let us strengthen our inner defences. If the inner part be safe, man can be attacked, but never captured."
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Unlock a world of digital creativity with my Gumroad store, offering unique products like worksheets and oracle cards that inspire and captivate.https://princess370.wordpress.com/2026/08/06/my-gumroad-shop/
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I have also read "Let Them" by Mel Robbins but am not sure I can recommend. It spoke to me in some aspects, left me shrugging shoulders in others. Nothing revolutionary, but it might be a good book for emotionally tougher times in life. Offers clear guidelines on how to stop pestering others and just letting them be.
In other words: stoicism for perfectionist women, I'd say.
#Bookstodon #Book
#LetThem
#MelRobbins
#SelfHelpBooks
#Stoicism
#Perfectionism -
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.— Joseph Campbell
Everything you actually want sits on the other side of what scares you most. The fear isn't a stop sign — it's the door.
No algorithm. Just truth.
#Stoicism #Philosophy #Motivation #Quotes #Mindset #Wisdom #DailyQuote #Growth #JosephCampbell #Courage -
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.— Joseph Campbell
Everything you actually want sits on the other side of what scares you most. The fear isn't a stop sign — it's the door.
No algorithm. Just truth.
#Stoicism #Philosophy #Motivation #Quotes #Mindset #Wisdom #DailyQuote #Growth #JosephCampbell #Courage -
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.— Joseph Campbell
Everything you actually want sits on the other side of what scares you most. The fear isn't a stop sign — it's the door.
No algorithm. Just truth.
#Stoicism #Philosophy #Motivation #Quotes #Mindset #Wisdom #DailyQuote #Growth #JosephCampbell #Courage -
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.— Joseph Campbell
Everything you actually want sits on the other side of what scares you most. The fear isn't a stop sign — it's the door.
No algorithm. Just truth.
#Stoicism #Philosophy #Motivation #Quotes #Mindset #Wisdom #DailyQuote #Growth #JosephCampbell #Courage -
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.— Joseph Campbell
Everything you actually want sits on the other side of what scares you most. The fear isn't a stop sign — it's the door.
No algorithm. Just truth.
#Stoicism #Philosophy #Motivation #Quotes #Mindset #Wisdom #DailyQuote #Growth #JosephCampbell #Courage -
This week for #OverUnder 077, @alex is my guest.
He shares his thoughts about taking #notes, #LLMs, #Stoicism, #Peertube, and #beetroot..
He also replied to @writingslowly's question.
And, like every week, we got a recommendation for two #books.
#bloggers #bookstodon #book #blog #fediverse #mastodon #food #blogging #writing #blaugust
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The good and the bad occur at all times and will keep happening. We can become lost if we go with the hype of ‘good and bad’ every time.
— Tiisetso Maloma
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“If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it.”*…
Stoicism is having a moment. The estimable Timothy Snyder considers the events of the day in the light of Marcus Aurelius‘ thoughts– and actions…
As Donald Trump announced his whimsy war in Iran, I was reading about another imperial campaign, long ago, against an Iranian people.
In the late second century AD, the Roman Empire confronted armies that had crossed the border at the Danube River and even broached the Alps in northern Italy. Among them were the Iazyges, speakers of an Iranian language, who hailed from the Ukrainian steppe.
In Ukraine this February, I was learning about an archaeological find which reveals the interactions of the Romans and the Iazyges, which included alliance as well as enmity. The Roman war against the Iazyges allies was commanded personally by Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who spent the years between 171 and 180 AD at the front. During that time he kept a philosophical diary, probably written at night in his tent. Discovered after his death, that text, known as the Meditations, is a great work of Stoic philosophy.
I turned to the Meditations to see if I could learn anything that would help me to understand the work of Ukrainian archaeologists about the interactions between Romans and Iazyges. I found something else: perspective on the wars of today, and a sense of why, beyond his obvious incompetence in military matters, Trump had to lose his.
It was shaming to read the bombast of Trump: (”no president was willing to do what I have done tonight”) alongside the reflections of Marcus (“when things have such a plausible appearance, show them naked, see their shoddiness, strip away their own boastful account of themselves.”) Trump broadcast his arrogance to millions of people; Marcus wrote for himself.
Despite the fact he was commanding an army at the front, Marcus never mentioned the war in his Meditations. War was simply something he had to do; he had no difficulty seeing the other side as people, or understanding their motivations. He mentions the Iazyges only once in the text: to make a broader point about hubris, to suggest that it was wrong for Romans to take pride in taking a prisoner of war.
Although Marcus did not broach the subject of my interest, I could not stop reading his Meditations. The contrast with Trump’s utterances was astounding, and vertiginous. The one could spend nine years in command and write a philosophical diary in which he did not even mention the war; the other immediately leapt to praise himself for a war he would lose in weeks…
[With an focus on the “adventure in Iran,” Snyder elaborates the (painfully unflattering) comparison…]
… The American leaders had no idea of who they were or what they wanted, aside from the satisfaction of their emotional needs by the killing of others. They were unable to imagine that people on the other side might have ideas about their own interests and plans for their own behavior. The could not see the world, even in its plainest representation as geography; whereas Marcus exploited a bend in the Danube River to tactical advantage to win a battle; Trump chose to ignore the physical limit the Straits of Hormuz can place on world trade. As soon as the war began, the Iranians did the obvious: they responded to American long-range attacks with the same; and they blocked the Straits.
Because the Americans were operating without a sense of themselves, of the world, or other people, this came as a surprise. Marcus Aurelius offers this mild comment: “How absurd — and a complete stranger to the world– is the man surprised at any aspect of his experience in life!”
The Americans, strangers to the world, reacted to their feelings of surprise with fantasies of destruction. The pleasure they took in killing became a vision of annihilation. Rather than confront the errors they made about war, the Americans leapt to visions of violence in which no one would ever have to think again. Trump lost control on Easter Sunday when he tweeted: “Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell.” He then promised that he would bomb Iran “back to the Stone Age, where they belong” and said that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” In our modern legal and ethical language, this is of course genocidal language. The American bombast was followed by American surrender.
Marcus Aurelius won his war against the Iazyges. He combined victory and prudence, and for this he was and will be remembered. The defeated Iazyges returned to their previous role as Roman clients, offered thousands of cavalrymen as soldiers of Rome, and opened trade routes to the east. Marcus’s philosophical diary has been read for the better part of two millenia; so long as we are present as a literate civilization, it will be read. Despite Marcus’s certainty that we will all be forgotten, others built a victory column in his honor after his death; it still stands in Rome, more than one thousand eight hundred years later.
Another legacy of Marcus’s victory also touches the center of what we think of as Western culture. As part of the peace accord, he dispatched 5,500 Iazyges cavalrymen, taken into his service, to the north of what is now northern England, to defend the Roman border at Hadrian’s Wall. Their first commander was a man named Arthur, and it is possible that the Iazyges and some of their Iranian-speaking kin incorporated his name into stories of their own — of a lady in the lake, of a sword in a stone, of a quest for a golden cup — which, with time, became the legend of Christian chivalry. That is another story, and one worth telling.
But it is also part of the story of Marcus Aurelius, which, despite the fact that he chose not to tell it himself, or rather precisely for that reason, is instructive about our predicament today. Stoicism is a way not to be a stranger to the world; it can protect the powerful from vanity and folly. To fall into a stupor of self-absorption, as Trump has done, is to flee from reality. Few wars are worth fighting; those that are fought can only be won in the world, and not within the tortured confines of estranged minds. Trump hastens now towards our shared horizon of death, seeking honors that only posterity can accord and will not…
On what Trump could– and should– learn from Marcus Aurelius: “Of Stoicism and Stupor,” from @timothysnyder.bsky.social.
“We are the other of the other”
“Ask yourself at every moment, ‘Is this necessary?”
“Kindness is invincible.”
– Marcus Aurelius
(TotH to MKM)
* Marcus Aurelius
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As we barrel back to basics, we might recall that it was on this date in 1956 that Elvis Presley, working for the first time with backing vocal group the Jordanaires, recorded “Don’t Be Cruel,” which had been written by Otis Blackwell.
The single was released on July 13, 1956, backed with “Hound Dog.” Within a few weeks “Hound Dog” had risen to No. 2 on the Pop charts with sales of over one million. Soon after it was overtaken by “Don’t Be Cruel,” which took No. 1 on all three main charts; Pop, Country, and R&B. Between them, both songs remained at No. 1 on the Pop chart for a run of 11 weeks. “Don’t Be Cruel” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, it was ranked No. 197 in Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
#culture #DonTBeCruel #ElvisPresley #history #HoundDog #Iran #Jordanaires #MarcusAurelius #moralPhilosophy #OtisBlackwell #philosophy #politics #stoicism #TimothySnyder #Trump -
We are most nearly ourselves when we achieve the seriousness of the child at play.
— Heraclitus
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It is not daily increase but daily decrease, hack away the unessential. The closer to the source, the less wastage there is.
— Bruce Lee
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Are you living your life on auto-pilot? It’s easy to get caught in the slipstream of daily routines, but there is a certain magic in taking the controls and choosing to be here now.
This vintage biplane design is more than just aviation art; it’s a call to action for anyone who loves intentional living and the thrill of the open sky. Whether you are a pilot, a travel lover, or someone practicing mindfulness, this retro airplane illustration serves as a visual anchor to stay grounded in the moment.
Inspired by classic flight school aesthetics and minimalist typography, this piece looks incredible on a graphic tee, framed art print, or a minimalist hoodie. Stop drifting through the clouds of "tomorrow" and start navigating your "today." ✈️
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#AviationArt ✈️ #VintageBiplane 🛩️ #Mindfulness 🧘 #BeHereNow ✨ #PilotLife 👨✈️ #RetroAesthetic 📺 #IntentionalLiving 🌿 #AirplaneLovers ☁️ #GiftForPilots 🎁 #GraphicDesign 🎨 #TravelInspiration 🌍 #VintageStyle 📽️ #NoAutoPilot 🚫 #Presence 🕰️ #AviationDaily 🛫 #AdventureQuotes 🗺️ #MinimalistArt 🖼️ #FlightSchool 🏫 #MentalClarity 🧠 #ClassicAircraft 🏛️ #WallArtDecor 🏠 #TshirtDesign 👕 #Stoicism 🏛️ #PropellerPlane 🌀 #StayPresent 📍
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https://joselorochaart.dashery.com/products/91489862-no-auto-pilot-be-here-t-shirt
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Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.
— Martin Luther King Jr.
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A quotation from Marcus Aurelius
The hour for your departure draws near; if you will but forget all else and pay sole regard to the helmsman of your soul and the divine spark within you — if you will but exchange your fear of having to end your life some day for a fear of failing even to begin it on nature’s true principles — you can yet become a man, worthy of the universe that gave you birth, instead of a stranger in your own homeland, bewildered by each day’s happenings as though by wonders unlooked for, and ever hanging upon this one or the next.
[ἐὰν οὖν, ὅτε δήποτε πρὸς ἐξόδῳ γένῃ, πάντα τὰ ἄλλα καταλιπὼν μόνον τὸ ἡγεμονικόν σου καὶ τὸ ἐν σοὶ θεῖον τιμήσῃς καὶ μὴ τὸ παύσεσθαί ποτε ῾τοὖ ζῆν φοβηθῇς, ἀλλὰ τό γε μηδέποτε ἄρξασθαι κατὰ φύσιν ζῆν, ἔσῃ ἄνθρωπος ἄξιος τοῦ γεννήσαντος κόσμου καὶ παύσῃ ξένος ὢν τῆς πατρίδος καὶ θαυμάζων ὡς ἀπροσδόκητα τὰ καθ̓ ἡμέραν γινόμενα καὶ κρεμάμενος ἐκ τοῦδε καὶ τοῦδε.]Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) Roman emperor (161-180), Stoic philosopher
Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 12, ch. 1 (12.1) (AD 161-180) [tr. Staniforth (1964)]More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/marcus-aureleus/8326…
#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #marcusaurelius #marcusaureliusmeditations #acceptance #death #dying #life #living #meaningoflife #mortality #selfcontrol #stoicism
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Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.
— Martin Luther King Jr.
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A quotation from Marcus Aurelius
Accept modestly; surrender gracefully.
[Ἄτύφως μὲν λαβεῖν, εὐλύτως δὲ ἀφεῖναι.]Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) Roman emperor (161-180), Stoic philosopher
Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 6, ch. 33 (8.33) (AD 161-180) [tr. Staniforth (1964)]More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/marcus-aureleus/8313…
#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #marcusaurelius #marcusaureliusmeditations #acceptance #arrogance #badfortune #badluck #deserving #fortune #goodfortune #goodluck #grace #gracefulness #grudge #humbleness #humility #letitgo #modesty #pride #receive #reception #resignation #stoicism #surrender
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A quotation from Marcus Aurelius
Our anger and annoyance are more detrimental to us than the things themselves which anger or annoy us.
[Ὄγδοον, ὅσῳ χαλεπώτερα ἐπιφέρουσιν αἱ ὀργαὶ καὶ λῦπαι αἱ ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις, ἤπερ αὐτά ἐστιν ἐφ’ οἷς ὀργιζόμεθα καὶ λυπούμεθα.]Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) Roman emperor (161-180), Stoic philosopher
Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 11, ch. 18 (11.18) (AD 161-180) [tr. Staniforth (1964)]More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/marcus-aureleus/2295…
#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #marcusaurelius #marcusaureliusmeditations #aggravation #anger #consequences #cost #emotions #feelings #harm #impatience #irritation #judgment #pain #provocation #risk #selfharm #selfrighteousness #sorrow #stoicism #vexation
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A quotation from Marcus Aurelius
And to pursue pleasure as good, and flee from pain as evil — that too is blasphemous. Someone who does that is bound to find himself constantly reproaching nature — complaining that it doesn’t treat the good and bad as they deserve, but often lets the bad enjoy pleasure and the things that produce it, and makes the good suffer pain, and the things that produce pain.
[καὶ μὴν ὁ τὰς ἡδονὰς ὡς ἀγαθὰ διώκων, τοὺς δὲ πόνους ὡς κακὰ φεύγων ἀσεβεῖ: ἀνάγκη γὰρ τὸν τοιοῦτον μέμφεσθαι πολλάκις τῇ κοινῇ φύσει ὡς παῤ ἀξίαν τι ἀπονεμούσῃ τοῖς φαύλοις καὶ τοῖς σπουδαίοις, διὰ τὸ πολλάκις τοὺς μὲν φαύλους ἐν ἡδοναῖς εἶναι καὶ τὰ ποιητικὰ τούτων κτᾶσθαι, τοὺς δὲ σπουδαίους πόνῳ καὶ τοῖς ποιητικοῖς τούτου περιπίπτειν.]Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) Roman emperor (161-180), Stoic philosopher
Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 9, ch. 1 (9.1) (AD 161-180) [tr. Hays (2003)]More info about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/marcus-aureleus/8047…
#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #marcusaurelius #marcusaureliusmeditations #stoicism #blasphemy #complaint #evil #good #goodandevil #impiety #naturalorder #nature #pain #pleasure #problemofevil #problemofsuffering #providence #sin #theodicy
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#neostoicism is a mutation of ancient aretaic virtues toward service of the #technocracy.
It is #managerial #ethics disguised as #virtue.
Rather than learning actual self-discipline, it is subsumption for #productivity.
Instead of accepting what can't be changed, it is excuses for collective responsibilities.
Instead of self-mastery it is optimizing performance.The neo-stocism comes from #redpill "father figures": #JordanPeterson, #ElonMusk, #AndrewTate, #DanBilzerian, #JackDonovan, #JockoWillink, #DavidGoggins, #CurtisYarvin, and #RyanHoliday . The relationship between this, nazi neoclassicism, and modern fascism are not accidents.
A productive stoic is an ideal subject of work and rule: self-monitoring, and compliant.
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Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day.
— Markus Zusak
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The good and the bad occur at all times and will keep happening. We can become lost if we go with the hype of ‘good and bad’ every time.
— Tiisetso Maloma