text:
Pizzetta 211
I recently enjoyed a great girls get together at Pizzetta 211 in San Francisco's Richmond District (23rd between Calif. and Clement). Certainly, the tiniest restaurant I've been in lately! There's four maybe five small tables, and the feeling was, well, crowded. I started with a delicious golden beet salad with beet greens and toasts with olive tapenade and goat cheese. Really delicious.
The amazing thing about the pizzetta is the wafer thin, crispy crust. It's so light and delicious, you can go ahead and eat the whole pizza. My pizza below had rosemary, pine nuts and a cheese whose name I forget. The rosemary was a little bitter, but it was still good.
One friend had the brussels pizza with onions and a little meyer lemon. My first pizza with brussels and it was really awesome.
Another friend had simply the crust, tomato sauce and arugula (no cheese). I thought she was crazy until I tried it. The tomato sauce was incredibly fresh and delicious. I'd say it was definitely worth the wait.


text:
Free Diagnostics
Were you always anxious to get your doctor's report the same day? It's always nice to have answers to your questions when and where you need them. This is how your experience with us will be! Connect with one of our live technicians and get a FREE one-on-one consultation. We are not sales associates and you are under NO OBLIGATION to buy any of our services.
Fast & Easy
So you're here! In this fast-paced world, you want fast-paced solutions. Your solution is our problem. Get your gear on because this is going to be a fast ride! Your solution is our problem and we're going to make sure we get you there. Experience a rewarding journey when you call one of our experts who will QUICKLY identify the nature of your problem, take you through the steps of analysis and bring forth EFFECTIVE solutions.
Satisfaction Guarantee
When we say your solution is our problem, we mean it! We are here for you and it's only when you get your answers, do we get our merits. Our No Fix, No Pay policy ensures just that. In the rare event, we are unable to fix your problem, you don't pay us. We also promote a 30-day money back-guarantee - an endorsement of your satisfaction. The reason for our confidence is because we incorporate industry-standard resolution rates.
Speak to a Certified Technician
2409 cases
Get your feel for our Call - Diagnose - Solve theory. It's as simple as 1-2-3!. Call 0766 803 123

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Head coach George Husack, on weekend: "I am very happy for the team and their overall performance this weekend. They had the opportunity to see where they are thus far in the fall season with their game. They can now focus on what areas they might need to improve upon and get prepared for next week."
Husack, on play of Jay Wong: "Jay was tremendous. I've stated all weekend that his competitiveness was impressive and I'd say the same thing about his performance today. He's a shy guy and to hear him get vocal and thrive off of his teammates cheers is fun to watch."
Husack, on match point for Wong: "Just before getting set for match point, he looked over at a few Broncos and yelled out 'Come on Kenzo, Blane, Bobby and Jan!.' They shouted back at him and he then proceeded to win the next point for the match with a fist pump to boot."


text:
Unlimited Free Hosting
One-Click Distribution
Monetize Your Podcast
Podcast With Friends
Straightforward Analytics
Record From Anywhere
Episode Builder
Editing Tools
Creation Tools
Transcribed Videos
Switch to Anchor
Sign up
Log in
Sign up
Log in
Marcus Regulus and the hard core of Stoicism
An episode of Stoic Meditations
By Massimo Pigliucci
Occasional reflections on the wisdom of Ancient Greek and Roman philosophers. More at
Please consider supporting Stoic Meditations. (cover art by Marek Škrabák; original music by Ian Jolin-Rasmussen, www.jolinras.info).
The answer is always going to be "it depends"
Cicero reminds us that in virtue ethics the answer to moral questions is always going to depend on circumstances, a striking contrast with modern - and arguably less useful - universalist frameworks like deontology and consequentialism.
May 24, 2019
Spend some time with Zeno and Socrates instead
Want to become a better person? Forget about traveling, since you will bring with you the same problems you are trying to flee. Read a good book instead, enter in conversation with the best minds humanity has produced across time.
May 23, 2019
The problem is that you are travelling with your emotions and are followed by your afflictions
Seneca continues his analysis of the relationship between traveling and self-improvement. While there are good reasons to travel (leisure and learning), self-improvement isn't one of them, because that requires critical reflection, wherever one happens to be.
May 22, 2019
If you travel in order to escape yourself, don't
As Socrates said to someone who was complaining that traveling brought him no benefits: "It serves you right! You travelled in your own company!"
May 21, 2019
We must suffer for the sake of those we love
Seneca dispels the stereotype of Stoics going through life with a stiff upper lip by explicitly advocating suffering for those we love. What marks the Stoic is not that she doesn't suffer, but how she handles suffering.
May 20, 2019
Theory is fine, but useless if you don't practice
Epictetus complains about something that hasn't changed much in two millennia: people who are happy to discuss the fine logical points of ethical dilemmas, but are apparently not that interested in becoming better human beings.
May 17, 2019
Remember what you should offer and what you should withhold
Seneca reminds us how to behave with fellow human beings, but also that, from a Stoic perspective, what is and is not to be valued (one's good and bad judgments) is not quite what most people value, focused as they often are on externals.
May 16, 2019
Humanity is what it is, not what we would like it to be
Seneca reminds us that our fellow human beings aren't always trustworthy or well intentioned. Nevertheless, we have a duty to treat others, and ourselves, with forgiveness, to be helpful when we can, and to endure when we cannot.
May 15, 2019
Your role model may be closer than you think
In which I compare my adoptive grandfather to Cato the Younger. Not because he fought battles against tyrants, but because he was a decent and kind human being.
May 14, 2019
Virtue is all-or-nothing, and yet, we can make progress
Cicero talks about one of the classic Stoic paradoxes: virtue is all-or-nothing, and yet one can make progress toward it. How is this possible? In this episode we explain, by way of a geometrical analogy.
May 13, 2019
Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do
Marcus Aurelius argues that when we do something right we shouldn't expect either recognition or a return. Otherwise, we are doing the right thing for the wrong reason.
May 10, 2019
Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life's account every day.
Seneca reminds us that we do not actually know when "the remorseless law of Fate" has fixed the time of our death. Therefore, we should prioritize what's important, postpone nothing, and balance our life's account every day.
May 9, 2019
No sensation of evil can reach one who is dead
Seneca agrees with Epicurus: there is no sense in fearing what happens after death, since we won't be there to experience it. Therefore, we should not allow religious and political authorities to manipulate us through that fear.
May 8, 2019
Not feeling pain would make us inhuman, not sages
Seneca talks to his friend Lucilius about how to console the bereaved, dispelling the stereotype of Stoics as individuals who go through life with a stiff upper lip.
May 7, 2019
The universe is morally neutral
Seneca says that good and evil are not in the world per se, but in our judgments about the world, and the actions we take as a consequence of those judgments. Which is why training ourselves to arrive at better judgments is so crucial.
May 6, 2019
Challenge your impressions, don't "just do it"
Epictetus tells us about a fundamental Stoic technique: never act on first impressions and implied judgments. Always pause, challenge your impressions, make the judgments explicit, and see whether they were on target or not.
May 3, 2019
The view from above, Seneca style
Here is Seneca's version of an exercise most often associated with Marcus Aurelius: when you feel overwhelmed by your problems, take a minute to consider a broader perspective. When your mind is calmer, come back to earth and tackle the problems.
May 2, 2019
What ought to be done must be learned from one who does it
Seneca suggests we pick a role model to help us become better persons. This ancient practice actually gets some empirical confirmation from modern psychology. So, who's your model, and why?
May 1, 2019
If someone can withstand fire or exile, surely you can overcome something...
Seneca lists an impressive gallery of ancient Roman role models, who have done brave things to safeguard their ideals. Surely, then, we can find the courage to overcome our comparatively small problems in everyday life, no?
April 30, 2019
Don't suffer before it is necessary
Seneca reminds us that the future is not under our control, and that the best way to prepare for it is to act here and now, where we actually have causal efficacy.
April 29, 2019
The skill of the pilot is independent of the value of the cargo
Cicero uses a metaphor involving ship pilots and their cargo to remind us that a more or less valuable "cargo" doesn't make us better or worse "pilots." It is our skills, that is our virtue, that make the difference.
April 26, 2019
The universe is morally neutral
Seneca, differing from Epictetus in a metaphysical sense, says that the universe is - as we would put it - morally neutral to us. What matters, then, is how we handle so-called "good" and "bad" things.
April 25, 2019
A long life is like a long journey: there is bound to be rain and mud on the way
Seneca uses a colorful analogy between life and a journey. Sure, we'd like to live longer, but when the journey is longer a number of unpleasant things are bound to happen, like rain and mud. Just bring good gear with you for the trip.
April 24, 2019
Want to be alive? Pay the taxes of life
Seneca uses an interesting economic analogy to remind us that the privilege of being alive comes with the tax of suffering setbacks and losses. Understanding this helps us to cope with problems and even to look forward to them as further exercises in virtue.
April 23, 2019
Expand your circles of concern
Seneca says that it is natural for us to be virtuous. Modern scientists say that it is natural for us to be prosocial. Either way, it is reason that allows us to expand our instinctive circles of ethical concern.
April 22, 2019
It's far easier to change yourself than others
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that we spend far too much time trying to change other people, which is outside of our control, and too little time attempting to improve ourselves, which we certainly have the power to do.
April 19, 2019
The problem with expensive meals
Seneca echoes the advice of Musonius Rufus when he says that we don't need to pay for extravagant meals with ingredients brought from all over the world. Every time we sit at the table to eat we have a chance to exercise temperance.
April 18, 2019
We should prosecute our politicians and generals
Continuing his criticism of the state's war machine, Seneca exhorts us to prosecute our politicians and generals for the crimes they commit in our own name.
April 17, 2019
Seneca on war as human folly
Seneca writes words about the foolishness of war that were surprisingly modern for his time, and unfortunately very much still pertinent to us today.
April 16, 2019
A surprisingly difficult simple precept
Seneca tells us something that may appear to be a no-brainer, and yet is difficult to apply: never believe that you can be happy through the unhappiness of another.
April 15, 2019
Happiness is an inside job
Cicero reminds us that happiness - meaning our satisfaction with our own life - is guaranteed if we don't hitch it to external events, but only to our own reasoned judgments.
April 12, 2019
The proximity of good people is good for you
Seneca reminds us that it is important to associate with good people. Their goodness is both an inspiration and a guide to make ourselves better human beings.
April 11, 2019
Repetition is useful
Seneca says that we should remind ourselves of things we know, because all too often we don't pay attention to them.
April 10, 2019
Approach your life all things considered
Modern Stoic Larry Becker, building on Seneca, advises us to approach the problems we encounter not one at a time, but within the context of our life treated as a whole dynamic project.
April 9, 2019
Seneca agrees with Ricky Gervais on the afterlife and the meaning of existence
Seneca points out that it doesn't matter if there is no continuation of life after death. Just like British comedian Ricky Gervais did recently in his series, aptly entitled "After Life."
April 8, 2019
Cut off anger at its inception
Epictetus treats anger as an addiction: we should suppress the urge as soon as we begin to feel it, and celebrate the days we have managed to stay away from this temporary madness.
April 5, 2019
How long you live is not up to you, how you live is
Seneca uses the dichotomy of control to get us to move away from our obsession with living longer, and toward paying attention to living better.
April 4, 2019
Marcus Regulus and the hard core of Stoicism
A good Stoic can be "happy" even on the rack. This phrase happened to be true in the case of the Roman general Marcus Regulus. And his story is worth pondering to see that we can be helpful and find meaning in so many small ways.
April 3, 2019
Virtue is like the sun behind a cloud
Seneca says that when negative developments affect our lives, virtue is like the sun behind a cloud: it keeps shining, and eventually dissipates the clouds.
April 2, 2019
The fanciness of your scabbard says nothing about the effectiveness of your sword
Seneca uses the analogy of a scabbard and a sword to remind us that external goods, like wealth or health, are indeed preferable, but only in a limited fashion. What's truly important is the shape of our character.
April 1, 2019
What does it mean to live every day as if it were your last?
Marcus Aurelius advises us to live by avoiding both violent emotions and torpor, and by not being a hypocrite. But also, to treat every day as if it were our last. What does that mean?
March 29, 2019
The importance of sound judgment
Seneca provides a very clear explanation of the Stoic distinction between virtue and external things, leading to the surprising conclusion that even health is not an unquestionable good.
March 28, 2019
How to achieve serenity
Seneca talks about a major "side effect," so to speak, of the Stoic stance: achieving tranquillity of mind through the development of an attitude of equanimity.
March 27, 2019
Virtue is the only good, naturally
Cicero asserts the standard, and apparently paradoxical, Stoic position that virtue is the onyl true good. Let's see why.
March 26, 2019
Be aware of what you can and cannot change
Seneca says that Nature does not discriminate, it hands out suffering and death to everyone, eventually. But we can still make our life better by developing equanimity toward what we cannot change while trying to change what we can.
March 25, 2019
How to shape your character
Epictetus reminds us that character is a matter of habit. Willfully change your habits, and you will be on your way toward becoming a better human being.
March 22, 2019
Welcoming Cicero to our line up
This episode features our first discussion of Cicero. While not a Stoic (he considered himself an Academic Skeptic), he was sympathetic to Stoic philosophy, and frequently borrowed from it to create his own eclectic blend of moral philosophy.
March 21, 2019
These are your choices
Seneca, building on the Stoic concept of universal causation, reminds us that we don't get to say how the universe works. Our only choices are to accept it (and work within it), or take "the open door," as Epictetus puts it.
March 20, 2019
Can we really improve ourselves?
Seneca reminds us that although some people are naturally more virtuous than others, and that much depends on our family upbringing, we are capable of making rational decisions as adults. So make the decision to practice every day to become a better human being.
March 19, 2019
Wisdom as a better filter to examine your life
Seneca provides us with one of the best definitions of wisdom. Let's see what it means, and how to apply it to our daily life.
March 18, 2019
Marcus Aurelius and the chocolate cake
Marcus Aurelius exhorts us to not just do it, but slow down, think about it, and then see if we really want to do it.
March 15, 2019
Stoicism and war
Seneca says it no uncertain terms: it is not wisdom that contrives arms, or walls, or instruments useful in war; nay, her voice is for peace, and she summons all mankind to concord.
March 14, 2019
The three parts of philosophy
Seneca summarizes the reasons why to live a good life (the domain of Ethics) one has to learn how to reason well (Logic) and how to better understand the world (Physics).
March 13, 2019
Concern yourself with careful living
Seneca criticizes the tendency of some philosophers to spend a lot of time trying to develop more careful ways of speaking, at the expense of figuring out more careful ways of living.
March 12, 2019
Here's your top priority in life
Seneca says that it causes far too much discomfort to the ears of others to be recognized as a learned person. Better for us and everyone else to be recognized as a good person.
March 11, 2019
In order to learn something new you need to forget what you think you already know
Epictetus advises his students, and all of us, to drop our preconceptions and actually open our minds to new notions. Try to practice that the next time you engage in a "conversation" on social media.
March 8, 2019
Seneca criticizes the institution of war
In a rather forceful passage Seneca makes a strong political statement, referring to Roman imperialism as "sacrilege on a grand scale." Unfortunately, two millennia later, we still honor that sort of sacrilege, which flies in the face of the virtue of justice and the concept of cosmopolitanism.
March 7, 2019
Wealth doesn't make you a better person
Seneca constructs another logical argument to make the point that wealth is not an intrinsic good. Rather, it is how it is used that can be good or bad. Know any virtuous billionaires, by chance?
March 6, 2019
Chance events are not good for you
Seneca builds a simple argument to show that random events, like winning a lottery, are actually not good for you, despite appearances to the contrary.
March 5, 2019
Much of what we have is superfluous
Seneca says that his life's journey taught him that much of what we possess is superfluous, and indeed positively gets in the way of living a good life. He ought to know, as we discuss in this episode.
March 4, 2019
When to care, or not, about other people's opinions
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that all too often we care far too much about the opinions of people we do not actually hold in high esteem. If they judge us badly according to mistaken values, the problem is theirs, not ours.
March 1, 2019
Make your life the best it can be given the materials you are given
Seneca brings up a parallel between the life of virtue and the art of a sculptor like Phidias. Just like a good sculptor will make the best art that the materials at his disposal permit, so we can be good human beings regardless of the specific circumstances of our lives.
February 28, 2019
Everyone is a good pilot on a calm sea
Seneca uses a sailing metaphor to remind us that hardship in life, just like a storm at sea, is what truly tests our virtue, as the storm tests the pilot's skills.
February 27, 2019
Treat yourself as you would a sick friend
Seneca dispels the stereotype of Stoics as going through life with a stiff upper lip. Stoic training doesn't insulate us from sufferings. It gives us tools to deal with suffering.
February 26, 2019
Moderate insanity is not a good thing
Seneca directly takes on the Peripatetics, followers of Aristotle, and criticizes their notion that virtue always lies in the middle. Some things, like insanity, or anger, are not good even in small quantities.
February 25, 2019
Planning is more important than worrying about outcomes
Epictetus wonders why people pay attention to outcomes, which are outside of their control, and not so much to planning, which very much is under their control.
February 22, 2019
The orchestra of your mind
Seneca draws a beautiful analogy between the harmonious sounds of an orchestra and the harmonious thinking of a well structured mind.
February 21, 2019
If you want to understand things, write them down
Seneca suggests that we should alternate between reading and writing in order to truly understand and internalize new concepts. Which, of course, is yet another way to achieve a major goal of Stoic training: arrive at better and better judgments.
February 20, 2019
Read books, it's good for you
Seneca gives this most sensical of advices: read books by others, especially if they disagree with you. Turns out, it's a good way to improve our judgments of things, a major goal of Stoic training.
February 19, 2019
Pay attention to the past in order to tackle the future
Seneca reminds us that -- although we live in the here and now -- we profit from reflecting on our mistakes, so long as we do not indulge emotionally on them. Regret is not a Stoic value. Learning is.
February 18, 2019
Life is more like wrestling than dancing
We take a look at one of the most famous metaphors in Stoicism, the notion put forth by Marcus Aurelius that life is a bit like wrestling: we need to be prepared and alert, because the next move may be unexpected.
February 15, 2019
Too much logic is not good for your health
Seneca reminds us that logic is crucial in order to figure out how to live a good life. But logic chopping is actually deleterious to it.
February 14, 2019
Not all indifferents are created equal
Seneca reminds us that there is a difference among the so-called indifferents. Life, health, and education, for instance, are a bit more highly ranked than your favorite gelato flavor.
February 13, 2019
The difference between Stoicism and stoicism
In our 300th episode we look at how Seneca very clearly separates Stoicism (the philosophy) from stoicism (the attitude of going through life with a stiff upper lip).
February 12, 2019
Be magnanimous toward others
Seneca reminds us that we should interpret other people's actions and words in a generous manner, instead of conjuring the worst possible scenario. It is, after all, the way we would like to be treated.
February 11, 2019
Do you still need somebody to wipe your nose?
Epictetus, with his sarcastic sense of humor, reminds a student that he doesn't need to pray to deal with a bad situation. He already has all the tools he needs: courage, fortitude, and endurance.
February 8, 2019
Virtue is its own reward
If the Pope or the Dalai Lama say that being good is its own reward, usually people take it at face value. But if a Stoic says it, they demand logical proof. Let's discuss this.
February 7, 2019
How much are you worth?
Seneca gets to the bottom line of Stoic philosophy: If you wish to set a value on yourself, put away your money, your estates, your honors, and look into your own character.
February 6, 2019
Get rid of fear of death and poverty
Seneca agrees with Epicurus: fear of death and poverty is crippling, and we need to work toward overcoming it.
February 5, 2019
Three simple steps to live a good life
Seneca reminds us that the tools for becoming a better person are simple and inexpensive. In this episode we discuss the three basic tools of the Stoic practitioner.
February 4, 2019
Why we need to focus on our own improvement
A quote from Marcus Aurelius sounds a lot like what Ayn Rand would say. But it couldn't be further from it.
February 1, 2019
Fortuna is your sparring partner
Seneca reminds us that it may be just as difficult to deal with good fortune as with the bad variety. Regardless, everything life throws at us is an opportunity to exercise our virtue.
January 31, 2019
Practical exercises in self-deprivation
Seneca says that doing without things for a while renews our appreciation for them. In this episode we examine five exercises in mild self-deprivation guaranteed to reset your hedonic treadmill.
January 30, 2019
Are you sick? You can be brave about it
Seneca reminds us that courage is not just for the battlefield, but for the everyday difficulties of life, like being sick.
January 29, 2019
Pay attention to the good parts of your life
A contemporary theory of consciousness, proposed by philosopher Jesse Prinz, recalls Seneca's treatment of the emotions, and teaches us how to avert painful thoughts by focusing on the good things that happen to us.
January 28, 2019
Your "happiness" is up to you, really
Epictetus reminds us that the only things that are truly good or bad for us are our judgments, which are under our control. It follows that "happiness," in the sense of a life worth living, is also under our control.
January 25, 2019
What's a good reason to endure hardship?
Seneca reminds us that athletes willingly subject themselves to harsh regimes in order to succeed. But when it comes to becoming a better person most of us think it's just too difficult.
January 24, 2019
Turn regrets into learning opportunities
Seneca reminds us that to indulge in regret is irrational, as the past is outside of our control. That doesn't mean we can't learn from it, though.
January 23, 2019
Everything depends on opinion
Seneca tells us that our happiness, or lack thereof, is a matter of our own opinion. No, he's not making a relativist or post-modernist argument on the nature of knowledge.
January 22, 2019
40 years or 10,000, makes little difference
Marcus says that once we have observed human affairs for 40 years, it's the same as having observed them for 10,000 years. Surely he is wrong? Not necessarily...
January 21, 2019
On the importance of friendship
The Stoics, the Epicureans, and Aristotle all agreed on one thing: friends are important. In this episode we talk about why, and how the Stoics differ from the other two schools on this topic.
January 18, 2019
Life's a play, act well
Seneca uses a metaphor that later became famous with Shakespeare: life is like a play, so what counts is not its length, but how well we act our parts.
January 17, 2019
The asymmetry of being dead
Seneca points out that people regret not being alive a thousand years from now, and yet are not bothered by the thought of not having been alive for the past thousand years.
January 16, 2019
Distribute your wealth like after a banquet
Seneca recalls an ancient Roman custom according to which the host of a banquet would distribute gifts to his friends at the end. Consider doing the same after your life has ended.
January 15, 2019
A little philosophy is a dangerous thing
Epictetus warn us that a little knowledge of philosophy, without proper guidance, can actually turn us onto even more stubborn fools than we were before.
January 14, 2019
Every good life is complete
Seneca argues that life is not like a journey. Whenever it is interrupted it is a whole life, if we have been living it virtuously.
January 11, 2019
A prepared mind tackles adversity better
Today's quote from Seneca is the root of the modern Stoic technique of premeditatio malorum, a meditation in which we try to get mentally prepared to tackle adversity.
January 10, 2019
The real stature of people
Seneca uses a beautiful analogy to argue that some people may look impressive while they aren't, and other people truly are impressive and yet remain overlooked.
January 9, 2019
Navigating between good and bad fortune
Seneca tells us that virtue is useful not just in order to handle bad fortune, but also, counter intuitively, to deal with good fortune.
January 8, 2019
We are all going to die, but until then?
Marcus Aurelius takes for granted that death is a natural and unavoidable end. The real question is what you are going to do between now and then.
January 7, 2019
Would you buy a car based on its color?
Seneca explains that there are certain attributes of things and people that are important, and others that are irrelevant. Somehow, we keep focusing on the irrelevant ones.
January 4, 2019
Why virtue is the only good
In this episode we explore a quote from Seneca presenting the Stoic argument for why virtue is the only true good. And if it is, then shouldn't you pursue it above all else?
January 3, 2019
Virtue will not fall upon you by chance
Seneca already understood two millennia ago that there is no such thing as a self-made man, because luck is needed for externals. But not in order to be virtuous.
January 2, 2019
Bad judgment is a disease, Stoic practice is the cure
Seneca says that people arrive at wrong judgments about what is valuable or desirable, and a major goal of Stoic training is, accordingly, to make us less unwise about values and desires.
January 1, 2019
Change your mind, if reason prompts you
Epictetus chastises one of his students for wanting to stick with a decision just because he said he would. Which leads us to a discussion of the roles of reason and emotion.
December 31, 2018
Practice, practice, practice
Stoicism is a practical philosophy, but how does that work, exactly? Not very differently from the practice of religions like Christianity and Buddhism. Find out in this episode!
December 28, 2018
Here and now
Seneca reminds us that the past is not under our control, and neither is the future. Our only locus of action is the present, and that's where our attention should be.
December 27, 2018
How to behave during a storm at sea
Seneca reminds us that those who study philosophy are human beings, subject to the physiological responses and emotions of the case. The difference is in how they reflect on and react to circumstances.
December 26, 2018
Retreat into your Inner Citadel
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that, when we need to regain serenity, we may retreat into ourselves and recharge our batteries. In this episode, learn about the ruling faculty and its neural correlates.
December 24, 2018
Virtue, virtue, everywhere!
Seneca tells us that virtue can be present at all levels, from nations to individuals, and in all circumstances, from wealth to poverty. Let's find out what, precisely, the Stoics meant by virtue and why it's so important.
December 21, 2018
The length of a virtuous life does not matter
Seneca reminds us that a life can be virtuous regardless of its length. And since we have no idea how long we are going to live, the question is: what are you going to do between now and then?
December 20, 2018
Love reason!
Seneca warmly invites us to love reason, which will arm us against the greatest hardships. These days, though, reason doesn't have a great reputation. Find out why we should go back to it.
December 19, 2018
Don't be proud of things you didn't accomplish
Seneca gives a splendidly clear and cogent description of the Stoic concept of preferred "indifferents," external things that are not under our complete control, and which Fortuna can take away at any moment.
December 18, 2018
And off they go, alleging slander!
Epictetus notes that nobody tells a doctor that they are rude if the doctor says they are sick and need medicine. But if the philosopher does that with one's moral health...
December 17, 2018
What are you going to do with your luck?
Seneca conjures a vivid image of the goddess Fortuna showering mortals with gifts, which are ruined by the eager crowd, or badly used, and that at any rate do not produce happiness. That's because people lack wisdom, necessary to truly enjoy Fortuna's gifts.
December 14, 2018
Try inward happiness
Seneca explains that if our happiness depends on externals, like fame or money, we are in the hands of Fortuna, who could take those things away at any moment. But if we are happy because we are good, then Fortuna is powerless.
December 13, 2018
Don't judge a pilot by the size of her ship
Seneca states very clearly that wealth is an indifferent, in Stoic terms. It can be pursued if it allows us to do good, but it should be avoided if it corrupts our moral fiber, making us greedy toward luxury and power.
December 12, 2018
It is either extinction or change
Marcus Aurelius contemplates whether death is a resolution of atoms or a final annihilation. He doesn't seem bothered by either possibility.
December 11, 2018
Ambition is not a Stoic value
Seneca warns us against ambition, understood not as the will to accomplish things, but as the pursuit of fame, money, and power. Modern politicians should be like Cato the Younger, not Alcibiades.
December 7, 2018
Avoid busyness
Seneca advises us to be careful how we spend our time, and especially how we respond to other people's demands for it. Life is short, surely you won't regret, on your deathbed, not having attended one more useless office meeting...
December 6, 2018
Don't be like a dog waiting for another morsel of meat
Seneca says that people are like dogs who eagerly await the next tasty morsel from Fortuna, swallow it quickly, then eagerly await the next one. Don't be like a dog, that way lies perennial dissatisfaction with life.
December 5, 2018
Of sickness and wisdom
Seneca says that lacking wisdom is like being sick. Although we can imagine what it would be like to be perfectly healthy, in reality we can be happy if we manage to be less sick than before. That's progress, folks!
December 4, 2018
Theory is easy, practice requires effort
Epictetus reminds us that one does not become a good carpenter, or pilot, by simply studying the theory of carpentry or piloting. Mindful, repeated effort is needed to see results. The same goes with one's philosophy of life.
December 3, 2018
Philosophy is a lifelong commitment
Seneca makes the startling claim that philosophy is a lifelong commitment that cannot be indulged only in our spare time. He doesn't mean academic studies, but rather practice, just like a Christian or Buddhist would do it.
November 30, 2018
Instead of conquering the world, conquer yourself
Seneca says that he hasn't conquered any enemy but his own greed, ambition, and fear of death. If more people, especially the leaders of the world, were to take that attitude, perhaps there would be no need to conquer enemies.
November 29, 2018
In order to make progress you have to desire progress
The goal of Stoic training is to become a better person, not a perfect one. But the first step, as always in life, is to want to make progress. If you wish to better yourself, the game is afoot, you need to start now.
November 28, 2018
In a few words: virtue is the only good
Seneca provides us with a very short and to the point summary of Stoic philosophy: virtue is the only good, it depends on our ability to reason correctly, and it leads to good judgment.
November 27, 2018
Be grateful for what you have, but don't get too attached to it
Marcus Aurelius reminds himself to be grateful for the things he has, which he would long for if he didn't have them. At the same time, everything is impermanent, so we should be prepared for our losses.
November 26, 2018
Sagehood is rare, but progress is up to us
Seneca tells Lucilius that he himself is far from being a wise person, which is as rare as the mythical phoenix. Nevertheless, we can all be "proficientes," those who make progress. Which is the whole point of Stoic training.
November 23, 2018
Stoicism is not a "manly" philosophy
We hear a lot of nonsense about Stoicism being tough and therefore only for men. But Seneca clearly explains that virtue doesn't make us invulnerable to pain and suffering, and that women are just as capable as men to become virtuous. Go figure.
November 21, 2018
Dining with a tyrant, are you?
Seneca gives us another Stoic "paradox": it may be better to be tortured than to sit at the dinner table. Well, not normally, but surely if you are being tortured to protect innocent lives, or sit at dinner with a tyrant. It all depends on context.
November 20, 2018
No need to be anxious even in front of a king
Epictetus explains why king Antigonus was anxious to meet Zeno, the founder of Stoicism, and not vice versa. The king had not yet internalized the fundamental principle of the dichotomy of control: making a good impression on others is not up to us.
November 19, 2018
Take the view from above
A quote from Seneca leads us into a discussion of the difference between Stoicism and modern philosophies of despair. For the Stoic, knowledge of the vastness of time and space is no excuse for nihilism, but simply a way to put things in perspective and get back to the task of living well.
November 16, 2018
Not just endurance, but tranquillity of mind
Seneca tells Lucilius how Cato, after losing an election, went out to play; and how, before taking his own life, he retired to his room to read a book. Stoicism isn't just about enduring things, it's about achieving serenity in the face of ill fortune.
November 15, 2018
Philosophy is serious business
Seneca invites his friend Lucilius to consider that philosophy is too serious a business to be left only to professional philosophers, especially those who engage in clever wordplay and logic chopping just to show how smart they are.
November 14, 2018
Decide on the big picture, the details come later
Seneca makes an argument for why we should adopt a philosophy of life (be it Stoicism or something else). It provides us a framework to make decisions and prioritize things. The rest is details.
November 13, 2018
Seneca on suicide
Seneca elaborates on how the Stoics see suicide: nature gave us one entrance into life, but many exits. And it is the existence of these exits that guarantees our freedom.
November 12, 2018
The Stoic argument for the right to suicide
Seneca continues his discussion of suicide with his friend Lucilius, arguing that maintaining agency and exercising our judgments are fundamental ingredients of a good life. It follows that we should be in charge of when and how to quit.
November 9, 2018
Life: it isn't about length, it's about quality
Seneca makes a point that is still controversial two millennia later. The important thing about life is not its length, but its quality. And it is up to the individual to judge the quality of her own life.
November 8, 2018
How to avoid temptation and practice virtue
Seneca gives some very commonsensical advice, backed up by modern psychological research, on how to best avoid temptation. Which leads us to a discussion of what we should avoid, and what, by contrast, we should seek out in order to act virtuously.
November 7, 2018
We are all sick, but we can help each other
Seneca says to his friend Lucilius that he is no wise man or doctor, but rather an unwise and sick person. Which brings us to a discussion of Stoic humility and how it is that we can all make progress toward wisdom.
November 6, 2018
The difference between tranquillity and flat calm
Seneca argues that tranquillity of mind is the result of an active, but realistic, engagement with the problems posed by life. By contrast, refusing to rise up to challenges simply leads to a flat and meaningless calm.
November 5, 2018
Racism and Stoic compassion
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that people do and say things not because they are evil, but because they are mistaken. The proper response, then, is education and pity, not hatred.
November 2, 2018
Gelato and the Cynic wing of Stoicism
Musonius Rufus advises us to follow a minimalist life style, closer to the so-called "Cynic" wing of the Stoic movement. Why is that? Because reducing temptations helps us practicing virtue, as we'll see by way of an example featuring gelato.
November 1, 2018
The most important mental trick of your life
Epictetus says that a lyre player plays beautifully when he practices on his own. But gets very nervous in front of an audience. That's because he wants something that is not under his control. Learn and internalize this lesson and your life will be happy and serene.
October 31, 2018
The unity of virtue thesis
Seneca argues that the four cardinal virtues are a tightly coordinated council, which makes the best possible decisions for us. In this episode we explore the Stoic concept of the unity of virtue, and make sense of it by analogy with going to the gym to improve our health.
October 30, 2018
Tackle illness with virtue
Illness is not something to look forward to, as Stoics are not mad. But it is a fact of life, and so it becomes a question of how we deal with it: by kicking and screming, or as a test of our virtue of temperance?
October 29, 2018
Be prepared to endure prosperity
Seneca argues that, strange as it may seem, prosperity is to be endured, just as bad times are. It's yet another Stoic "paradox," of which we make sense in this episode.
October 26, 2018
Epictetus gets punched on the nose
Epictetus tells the story of when he first started preaching, instead of teaching, philosophy. It did not go well, and he got punched on the nose. He quickly learned the difference between preaching and teaching.
October 25, 2018
The last day of Epicurus
Seneca recounts the last, painful day, of the life of the rival philosopher Epicurus, who claimed that even that day he was happy. Which leads us into a discussion of what the Stoics and Epicureans meant by happiness.
October 24, 2018
All good people are equally worthy
Seneca states the fundamental Stoic principle that the measure of a person has nothing to do with externals like wealth, health or good looks. It depends on one thing and one thing only: goodness of character.
October 23, 2018
Virtue is nothing but right reason
Seneca gives a straightforward, simple, yet rich definition of virtue to his friend Lucilius. It has huge consequences for every one of us, every day.
October 22, 2018
Be charitable toward others
Marcus Aurelius says that other people do wrong out of lack of wisdom, and so do we, which means we should be forgiving toward others. Besides, life is short, and others can't harm the most important thing: our faculty of judgment.
October 17, 2018
Do like Socrates, have a dialogue instead of a dispute
Epictetus reminds us that Socrates made an effort to talk to people while avoiding rudeness and invectives. Imagine if we did the same today, instead of indulging in the current climate of acrimony about social and political issues.
October 16, 2018
Love requires virtue, not externals
Seneca says that one shouldn't love a person because they are rich, or strong, but because they are virtuous. Which gets us into a discussion of the meaning of the word "axia," referring to things that have value but are not crucial.
October 15, 2018
Rich vs poor
Seneca says that being rich does not make you a good person, nor does being poor make you a bad one. We then use this quote to explore the relationship between externals and virtue.
October 12, 2018
Joy vs pain
Seneca says that it is natural to seek joy and avoid pain. But the virtue involved in both cases is the same. In the quote we examine today, then, there are a lot of crucial Stoic concepts to be parsed out.
October 11, 2018
What is virtue, anyway?
Seneca tells us that virtue lies in how you handle things, both good and bad. If you are sick, be gentle with those who are taking care of you. If you get a promotion, don't brag to your colleagues. It's the virtuous thing to do.
October 10, 2018
Talk to people like Socrates would
Epictetus reminds us that it is senseless to talk to others just in order to score points. That way we don't learn, understand, or persuade; we just puff ourselves up and waste opportunities.
October 9, 2018
All virtues are related
Seneca states the classic Stoic view that all virtues are aspects of a single underlying one: wisdom. In this episode we explore what that means in practice, every day.
October 8, 2018
What matters is how you handle things
Seneca tells us of one of the well known Stoic paradoxes (i.e., uncommon opinions): it is equally good to be joyful or to endure torture. How can we make sense of this? Find out in this episode.
October 5, 2018
Death is change and not to be feared
Seneca is at peace with the notion of death, and in this episode we talk about why the Stoic attitude toward this natural process of cosmic recycling makes a lot of sense.
October 4, 2018
Let us celebrate those truly worth celebrating
Seneca suggests that we should remember and honor the people that have made positive contributions to humanity, and I add that perhaps, conversely, we should get away from modern "celebrity" culture.
October 3, 2018
I want something on which I may test my endurance
Seneca is asking for trouble. Well, not exactly. But he reminds us that Stoicism is about constant practice, so we shouldn't just be prepared to meet a challenge, but positively welcome it.
October 2, 2018
Whatever can happen at any time can happen today
Seneca says that we have no idea when Fortuna will take friends and loved ones away from us, so the sensible way to live our lives is to take full advantage of every moment we spend with them.
October 1, 2018
Make friends, oppose Fortuna
Seneca says that making friends is one way to counter the doings of Fortuna, because having friends is one of the great consolations in life, no matter what happens to us.
September 28, 2018
Nothing good comes out of a static universe
Marcus Aurelius reflects on the famous concept the Stoics inherited from the pre-Socratic Heraclitus: panta rhei, everything changes. What would happen if we took this seriously, in our everyday life?
September 27, 2018
Don't make fun of others, be helpful
Epictetus says that if we encounter someone who is lost we don't make fun of him, but give him directions. Why, then, do we engage in sarcasm against people who disagree with us?
September 26, 2018
Practice self control to become more virtuous
Musonius Rufus reminds us that self control is a crucial component of the cardinal virtue of temperance. This doesn't mean we cannot enjoy pleasures, only that we need to do it in proper measure.
September 25, 2018
Enjoy your friends and loved ones, now
Seneca says that we should greedily enjoy our loved ones, right now. Because we have no idea how long we will enjoy the privilege of their company and affection. Pay attention to the here and now.
September 24, 2018
The Stoic approach to grief
Stoicism is often accused of counseling to suppress emotions. This quote from Seneca clearly shows it doesn't. Then again, we don't want to wallow in grief and let it paralyze us, because we have duties toward the living.
September 21, 2018
Converse with the best minds, read a book
Seneca reminds us that one of the simplest and cheapest of pleasures is to engage in a continuous conversation with the best minds humanity has ever produced. By reading a (good) book.
September 20, 2018
Are you really that busy?
Seneca suggests that we should change our attitude toward being busy: don't surrender yourself to your affairs, but loan yourself to them and you will live a happier life.
September 19, 2018
Greed leads to unhappiness
Seneca says that for many people the furnishings of their lives are more than enough, but they keep wanting more, thus dooming themselves to unhappiness and turmoil.
September 18, 2018
How to think about life and death
Seneca clarifies one of the famous Stoic paradoxes: no, you shouldn't live every day as if it were your last. But you should live every day to the fullest because you don't know which one will be your last.
September 17, 2018
Are you dead before the time, by your own choice?
Seneca reminds Lucilius that a full human life is about being useful, and particularly about helping others. Sure, you can withdraw from the world and live in peace, but then you are arguably already dead.
September 14, 2018
No matter what, keep your emerald color
Marcus tells us that, regardless of how people around us behave, we should keep following our moral compass, just like an emerald keeps its color regardless of what others are doing.
September 13, 2018
Epictetus asks a student a trick question...
Epictetus engages in a short dialogue with one of his students, asking him a trick question. How would you answer the question of whether pleasure is a good thing, something to be proud of?
September 12, 2018
The right thing to do is often painful
Musonius Rufus articulates the Stoic equivalent of "no pain, no gain," in part as a rebuke to the Epicureans. Engaging in social and political life is painful, but it's the right thing to do.
September 11, 2018
On exotic food consumption
Seneca is critical of the fact that many ships are required to convey the requisites for a single meal, bringing them from no single sea. Still today so many people indulge in pleasures that cost a lot and cause much environmental damage. Time to revise our priorities about where our food comes from?
September 10, 2018
That which Fortuna has not given, she cannot take away
Let's talk about the ancient Roman goddess Fortuna, or what the Greeks called Tyche, to whom Seneca often refers in his letters to Lucilius. Why does she play such an important role in Stoic philosophy?
September 7, 2018
We all want lasting joy
Seneca argues that we want joy in life, and we want it to last. And yet, we insist in seeking it in all the wrong places, from ephemeral pleasures to the fickle praise of others.
September 6, 2018
Beware of flattery, it gets in the way of genuine progress
Seneca claims that flattery is a subtle enemy of our work toward becoming better persons. Too readily we agree with those who tell us that we are good, sensible, holy even. What's a good attitude toward praise, then?
September 5, 2018
Practicing philosophy is like going to spiritual gym
Seneca reminds Lucilius that we can't relegate our quest for becoming better persons to intervals between indulgences. It's like going to the gym: you have to do it regularly and often, or you won't get the benefits.
September 4, 2018
Adversity is just a gym to exercise your virtue
Seneca says that the wise person (and, by extension, the practitioner of Stoicism) will deal with poverty, sorrow, disgrace or pain, because she is alert and fortified, ready to treat adversity as a way to improve her character.
September 3, 2018
Old age, frail and not
Seneca tells Lucilius that old age is natural and to be welcomed. So long as it maintains our mind in working order. If that's not the case, then the Stoics prefer to exit through the open door, as virtue itself becomes impossible to practice.
August 31, 2018
Take care of your body, with temperance
Seneca reminds us that we have some power to make our body last longer, by exercising temperance in our pleasures. Enjoy your next meal, just don't over do it. And remember, Stoics drink wine, but they don't get drunk.
August 30, 2018
How to excel at being human
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that there is no difference between acting according to nature and according to reason. What did he mean?
August 29, 2018
Where philosophy begins
According to Epictetus philosophy gets started when we are genuinely interested in why people disagree about things. Not in terms of factual matters, which empirical evidence can settle, but about values and how we should think about the world and therefore act in it.
August 28, 2018
We should study broadly in order to increase understanding
Seneca tells Lucilius that he welcomes knowledge from all fields, not just philosophy. That's why he wrote books on natural questions, including on the nature of comets, earthquakes, thunderstorms, and the causes of the flooding of the Nile.
August 27, 2018
Choose your entertainment virtuously
Seneca tells Lucilius that we need rest and relaxation, but we can exercise virtue even in our choice of how we relax and entertain ourselves. Consider how you refresh your mind, the next time you pick a movie or organize a vacation!
August 24, 2018
Everything flows, so don't get attached
Seneca quotes the Pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus to the effect that everything changes all the time, panta rhei. It follows that it is futile to get attached to things, including our own bodies. Enjoy what you have, but consider it a temporary loan from the cosmos.
August 23, 2018
Always do what is in harmony with the common interest
Marcus Aurelius talks about being helpful to society. And yet he was an emperor who waged war and presided over slavery. How do we reconcile his actions with his Stoicism? At least in three ways, explored in this episode.
August 22, 2018
Do you think you know the difference between good and bad?
A splendid example of Epictetus' sarcasm by way of a bit of dialogue with one of his students. In the course of which we learn about the virtue of practical wisdom, the discipline of desire, and the dichotomy of control.
August 21, 2018
The difference between proto-emotions and fully formed ones
Seneca nicely explains what a proto-emotion is, and we discuss how proto-emotions can then develop into fully formed healthy or unhealthy emotions. It all comes down to what cognitive judgment we apply to our initial response.
August 20, 2018
How to get a good night's sleep
Seneca reminds us that real tranquillity comes from a relaxed mind with a clear conscience. Which is why Stoics engage in an evening meditation on the major events of the day, learning from their mistakes, and filing them away before going to sleep.
August 17, 2018
Self-sufficiency comes from inside, not from externals
Seneca challenges the common assumption that someone is self-sufficient if he has enough money, a nice place to live, and so forth. True self-sufficiency requires serenity, which comes from inner strength, not from externals.
August 16, 2018
Death is like pre-birth: there is nothing to be feared
Seneca agrees with Epicurus: death is a state of non-existence, therefore we do not feel anything, and there is nothing to be afraid of. Moreover, it is no different from the aeons before we were born, and we don't regret those, do we?
August 15, 2018
Practice philosophy constantly, life doesn't stop
Seneca tells us that philosophy, understood as a way of life, cannot be relegated to spare moments. Just like someone can't be a Christian only on Sunday mornings, so a Stoic applies her principles at every opportunity, big or small.
August 14, 2018
Learn from teachers who do, not just talk
Seneca advices his friend Lucilius to pay attention to people who act right, not just talk right. When we pick a role model to improve our character, let's pick someone whose actions we want to imitate, they are a better guidance to virtue.
August 13, 2018
Compel Fortuna to play on equal terms
Seneca argues that we can force Fortuna, the goddess of luck, to deal with us on equal terms, by not being slaves to external things we cannot control. Cultivate equanimity, and Fortuna will play fair with you.
August 10, 2018
Pay attention to what others say, inhabit their minds
Marcus Aurelius gives some commonsensical advice on how to interact with other people, which leads us to a brief discussion of what counts as "Stoic" advice in the first place.
August 9, 2018
Revenge is not justice
Epictetus reminds his students that engaging in a wrong act, even one done in response to an injustice, stains our own character, and therefore hurts us first and foremost. Stoics don't favor retributive justice systems.
August 8, 2018
What's the problem with the passions?
Seneca reminds us of the distinction between unhealthy and healthy emotions: being overwhelmed by the first ones tears us apart internally, while cultivating the second ones brings harmony to our psyche.
August 7, 2018
No pain no gain, says Musonius
Musonius Rufus, in an implicit rebuttal to the Epicureans, reminds us of all the things that is worth experiencing pain to achieve, most importantly being a good, just, and temperate person.
August 6, 2018
You should live neither in a place of torture nor in a cafe
Seneca gives rare advice on one's abode. It should be a place that does not get in the way of practicing virtue, which means neither too uncomfortable (if we can avoid it) nor too luxurious or distracting.
August 3, 2018
Philosophy may be painful or a pleasure, but it's worth it
Seneca disagrees with Epictetus: the first says that philosophy is a pleasant medicine, the second that it is a painful one. And yet they agree that it is a remedy that, taken regularly, makes for a wholesome life.
August 2, 2018
Is the problem with the place, or with you?
Seneca says that more often than we realize we blame our problems on the time and place we live in, without understanding that the fault may be with us, and that we should work on ourselves, instead of finding excuses.
August 1, 2018
You want to change the world? Begin by changing yourself
Seneca argues that we are born with the ability to reason and to improve our reasoning. We are also naturally social, and prefer virtue over vice. Hard to believe, right? And yet, he's got a point.
July 31, 2018
A good life depends not on length, but on our use of it
Seneca argues that it is the quality, not the duration, of one's life that is important, and that we often live long when measured in years, and yet too little in terms of what we accomplish.
July 30, 2018
What's really important in your life?
A straightforward quote by Epictetus allows us to reflect on what a philosophy of life is, and why everyone needs one.
July 27, 2018
On the difference between philosophy and logic chopping
Seneca says that he'd prefer to be told how to help people, rather than how many different meanings of the word "people" there may be.
July 26, 2018
Things themselves have no power to form our judgments
Life is hard as it is, says Marcus Aurelius, there is no need to make ourselves more miserable by adding unnecessary opinions that increase our suffering.
July 25, 2018
Reflect on the roles you play, and play them well
Epictetus introduced a major innovation in Stoic ethics with his theory of roles. We are first and foremost members of the human cosmopolis. But also fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends, colleagues. How do we balance the conflicting demands of such diverse roles in life?
July 24, 2018
Won't you be my neighbor?
Seneca reminds us that we can't live happily if we transform everything into a question of our own utility. We must live for your neighbour in order to live for ourselves.
July 23, 2018
What do you think is truly good for you?
Marcus provides us three options for what sort of thing is truly good for you, and argues that a person of understanding will go for the third one. Have you reflected on what is good for you, and why?
July 20, 2018
On family matters, take the high moral ground
Epictetus advises us to forgo issues of material resources and remember that family relationships in great part define who we are. After all, if we can't practice virtue with our brothers, sisters, and parents, with whom can we practice it?
July 19, 2018
Everyone who craves externals is a slave to them
Seneca says that if we are going after the satisfaction of lust, greed, ambition, and so forth, we make ourselves slaves to fortune. Not so if we regard what we have as loans from the universe, which the universe can take back at any moment, by any means.
July 18, 2018
Calibrate your desires, achieve serenity
Musonius Rufus reminds us that it is far easier to curb our desire for our neighbor's wife than to pursue it Not to mention that it is the right thing to do.
July 17, 2018
Don't buy a horse on the basis of its saddle
Seneca reminds us that all too often we judge people on the basis of what they wear, or of their social rank, mistakenly assuming that those are good indicators of their character.
July 13, 2018
"They are slaves," nay, rather they are people
Seneca reminds his contemporaries that slaves are human beings like everyone else. In this episode, we talk about slavery in the ancient world, what the Stoics thought about it, and what follows from their philosophy.
July 12, 2018
Beware of the difference between friendship and flattery
Seneca warns us to be careful with people who pretend to be our friends, or simply feed our narcissism. Like, you know, most of the "friends" you likely have on social media...
July 11, 2018
Philosophy did not find Plato a nobleman, it made him one
Seneca reminds us that philosophy is open to all, no matter what our background and means. Engage the philosophical life and you will get to converse with noble minds across time and cultures.
July 10, 2018
What does your inner daimon say?
Seneca observes our tendency to boast of the good things we do and to keep quiet about the not-so-good ones. As if our own judgment, the judgment of our conscience, didn't matter.
July 9, 2018
How on earth did I get here?
Seneca says that Stoic mindfulness is about paying attention to what is happening to us. We need to keep charting and re-charting our way forward, as our mind needs to be prepared for the vagaries of Fortune.
July 6, 2018
Fortune has no jurisdiction over character
Seneca says that Fortune may take just as much, and as suddenly, as she can give. But we can work on improving our character so that we can accept with equanimity both the good and the bad stuff in life.
July 5, 2018
Observe the goodness of those around you
Marcus Aurelius suggests some simple therapy for our troubled souls: pause and observe some good things done by people around you. Appreciate what they are doing. And use it as an inspiration for becoming better yourself.
July 4, 2018
Whenever you yield to externals, you become their slave
Epictetus warns us that if we let an external take precedence over the integrity of our character we are doomed to become slaves for life. And who wants to be a slave, right?
July 3, 2018
Our predecessors are our guides, not our masters
Seneca reminds us that Stoicism is a live philosophy, which must evolve over time in order to incorporate new truths and, if needed, reject old ideas that turned out to be wrong.
July 2, 2018
Be forgiving of liars and unjust people
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that Stoicism is both self forgiving and forgiving of others, and that while we should take the path of truth and justice, we should also be tolerant of people who are even further from wisdom and are gooing the wrong way.
June 29, 2018
But I couldn't do otherwise! Yes, you could...
Epictetus tells us that nobody can force us to agree to a judgment we think is incorrect. Surprisingly, this has countless applications to everyday life.
June 28, 2018
Make yourself happy through your own efforts
Seneca reminds us that, regardless of external circumstances, the only life worth living is one of virtue, and the only life to avoid is one dominated by vice.
June 27, 2018
Above all, we are citizens of the world
Marcus Aurelius recognizes that, as Antoninus, he is a citizen of Rome. But more fundamentally, he is a citizen of the human cosmopolis. Some pretty radical consequences immediately follow...
June 26, 2018
Only the truly educated person is free
Epictetus reminds us that education, which involves the ability to shape our moral values, is the only ticket to achieving freedom. Something to remember, in these days in which people freely elect tyrants and autocracts.
June 25, 2018
Would the Stoics approve of assisted suicide?
In this episode we discuss a quote from Seneca which, together with several other passages in other authors, clearly points to the conclusion that the Stoics were in favor of suicide in the case of disease and frailty in old age. Which does not mean they took suicide lightly at all.
June 22, 2018
Being bad requires a lot of work
Musonius Rufus rather sarcastically reminds us that being bad requires just as much work as being good, so why not choose the latter instead?
June 21, 2018
Teach them then, and show them without being angry
Marcus Aurelius says that people make mistakes because they don't know better. So there is no point in getting self-rigtheous and angry about it, instead we need to teach them where they go wrong.
June 20, 2018
Go hug a philosopher, will you?
Epictetus defends the apparently strange notion that philosophy, like mathematics (or science, or lots of other things) is a profession, requiring expertise. He is not being elitist, he's just being reasonable.
June 19, 2018
We belong to the world, not to a particular corner of it
Seneca reminds us that even though we belong to different social groups, religions, ethnicities and so forth, we are, most fundamentally, members of the human cosmopolis.
June 18, 2018
It's either gods or atoms...
Marcus Aurelius reflects on what happens to us when we die: either we are absorbed in the seminal principle of the universe, or we become atoms scattered in the void. Either way, we still need to behave decently toward other human beings.
June 15, 2018
Ethics is a practice, so do it
Epictetus asks us a simple question: if we didn't learn these things in order to demonstrate them in practice, what did we learn them for?
June 14, 2018
Moving will not help you, if your trouble is internal
Seneca tells Lucilius that moving to the other end of the world will not be helpful if his troubles are generated by his own attitudes, because he will carry the same person around the globe, if he doesn't address the real issue.
June 13, 2018
The truth does you no harm, but error does
Marcus Aurelius reminds himself of something that modern politicians need to pay attention to: if someone shows you that you are in error, the right thing to do is to admit it and learn from the other.
June 12, 2018
How Epictetus lost his lamp and the thief became a brute
Epictetus tells the story of a thief stealing his lamp at night, and reflects on what each of them lost in the process. He concludes that he came ahead of the thief.
June 11, 2018
Sound minds are hard to find, or buy
Seneca, with rather uncharacteristic sense of humor, says that one can't buy a sound mind, and even if that were possible, there would be no market for them.
June 8, 2018
Annoyed by people? It's an opportunity to practice virtue
Marcus Aurelius suggests we think of others as partners at the gym: don't hate or hold grudges against them, think of them as opportunities to improve your virtue.
June 7, 2018
Good judgments improve your character
Epictetus says that the way we improve our character is by paying attention and making good judgments, while if we keep making bad ones we make our character worse. So today reflect carefully on your decisions, and ask yourself what would Epictetus do.
June 6, 2018
I may become poor, then I shall be among many
Seneca lists the worst things that could happen to him, and that we all fear, and reminds himself that the only truly terrible thing is being a bad person who holds to bad values and makes bad decisions.
June 5, 2018
Always examine your assumptions
Musonius Rufus reminds us that we often act out of simple habit, without paying attention to what we are doing and why. Not the best way to proceed in life.
June 4, 2018
Why do you care for the opinion of posterity?
Marcus Aurelius observes that some people are obsessed with what posterity will think of them, even though they have no idea what sort of individuals will make that judgment. Meanwhile, how about taking care of those we know here and now?
June 1, 2018
Good and evil are entirely up to you
Epictetus says that externals (health, wealth, education, good looks) are the means by which we do good or evil in the world. So it is entirely up to us, really.
May 31, 2018
The glass is neither half full nor half empty, it just is
Seneca reminds Lucilius that we ought to hope for justice, but brace ourselves for injustice. This is just the way the world works, which doesn't absolve us from our responsibility to do something about it.
May 30, 2018
Do not seek fame, seek to be useful to others
Marcus Aurelius reflects on what is worth doing, and decides that it's not seeking fame, but rather being helpful to fellow human beings.
May 29, 2018
Nobody wants to believe falsehoods, and yet...
Epictetus says that people cannot assent to what they think is false. We always want to be right, but we are often not, which is why we rationalize things. That's why we need to improve our ability to arrive at correct judgments about things.
May 28, 2018
Think about bad stuff happening, get comfortable with it
Seneca introduces a classic Stoic exercise, the premeditatio malorum, thinking about bad things happening, playing them in your head, so you get comfortable with accepting whatever may come.
May 25, 2018
After every disturbance, re-center yourself
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that all sorts of things will disturb our rational soul, and that we therefore need to practice re-centering it in order to respond to situations with reason and equanimity.
May 24, 2018
Can you tell the difference between the baths and the mill?
Epictetus has a little bit of fun with the Skeptics, who denied the possibility of human knowledge. If that's the case, he says, how is it that you reliably go to the thermal baths when you want to relax, and to the mill when you want bread?
May 23, 2018
Some people get to the end without having lived at all
Seneca observes that some people begin to really live their life only near the end. And some never begin at all. So what's sort of life you want to live, and have you started already?
May 22, 2018
Take care of your body, it helps your virtue
Our body is a preferred indifferent, but Musonius Rufus tells us to take whatever care we can of it, as it is also an instrument of virtue. In other words, go to the gym...
May 21, 2018
No matter what, do your duty as a human being
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that whether we are cold or warm, ill-spoken of or praised, and dead or "doing something else," we still have a duty to make this a better world.
May 18, 2018
Where are you going to hide from death?
Epictetus uses his dark sense of humor to remind us that death is inevitable. At the same time, though, fear of it is not. Moreover, awareness of death is what, in a sense, gives meaning to our life.
May 17, 2018
Are you on the right path, or do you need a correction?
Seneca says that the right path in life consists in a good conscience, honourable purposes, right actions, contempt of luck, and an attitude of equanimity toward whatever the universe throws our way.
May 16, 2018
Think and act the right way, happiness will flow
Marcus Aurelius maintains that if we think and act the right way our life will be an equable flow of happiness. This is because we will do our best, but look at outcomes with equanimity.
May 15, 2018
What is philosophy, anyway?
Epictetus says that philosophy begins with awareness of one's mental fitness. So let's work on that, shall we?
May 14, 2018
What about pleasure?
Seneca says the problem with pleasure is that if one is too much into it, it rushes us into the abyss of sorrow. So it's time to discuss what pleasure means for a practitioner of Stoicism.
May 11, 2018
If this were you last day, what would you be proud of?
Marcus writes near the end of his life about the sort of things he did that he values, from discounting honors and other externals to having been kind even toward people who were not kind to him.
May 10, 2018
Respond to insults as if you were a rock
Epictetus counsels us to react to insults as if we were a rock, that is, by ignoring them. An insult is only effective if you let it be, and that power resides exclusively in your own faculty of judgment.
May 9, 2018
Above all, learn how to feel joy
Rather unusual advise from Seneca to his friend Lucilius: learn how to feel joy. Which doesn't sound Stoic only if one buys into the incorrect stereotype of Stoicism as a practice to suppress emotions. Let's learn how to feel joy, then.
May 8, 2018
The duty of a social animal capable of reason
Marcus says that we have a duty to do what a social animal capable of reason ought to do. And that's to practice virtue for the betterment of humankind.
May 7, 2018
Epictetus and the open door policy: Stoicism and suicide
Tough topic for this episode: what is known as Epictetus' open door policy, that is, the Stoic idea that suicide is permissible, under certain circumstances. And indeed, that it is its possibility that gives us freedom and courage to fight on.
May 4, 2018
Take truth wherever you find it, it's public property
Seneca explains that one doesn't have to be an Epicurean in order to find value in the words of Epicurus. It's like in the Senate: you vote for the parts of a motion you approve of, and reject the rest.
May 3, 2018
How to calibrate your moral compass
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that justice is a crucial virtue in Stoicism, and we need to constantly keep it at the forefront. He also says that we need to evaluate our impressions of things, before acting. Don't just do it, stop and think about it first!
May 2, 2018
The universe is your trainer, get ready for the Olympics
Epictetus uses a nice metaphor in which the universe is our trainer, sending us tough stuff to deal with so that we get used to breaking a sweat and prepare for the Olympics of life.
May 1, 2018
Changing your life doesn't happen by magic
Musonius Rufus tells us that it isn't enough to know that we should be virtuous, we need to constantly practice virtue. Stoicism is not a magic wand, but it will change your life, and is well worth the effort.
April 30, 2018
Practice poverty as an exercise in endurance and gratitude
Seneca tells Lucilius that it is crucial, from time to time, to engage in exercises of self deprivation, so to prepare ourselves for whenever luck will turn, and also to be grateful and appreciative of what we normally have and may take for granted.
April 27, 2018
Praise or blame do not make a thing better or worse
On the day of Marcus Aurelius' birthday, April 26, let's reflect on a simple Stoic precept: good or bad lie in actions, thoughts, and words, not in the praise or blame that those things get from others.
April 26, 2018
Focus on what is up to you, the rest may or may not come
Epictetus clearly states one of the fundamental principles of Stoicism: the dichotomy of control. Once we realize that some things are up to us and other things aren't, it follows that we should focus on the first ones and cultivate equanimity toward the latter ones.
April 25, 2018
Are you practicing, or just talking?
Seneca says that talk is easy, but the real measure of whether we are making progress lies in our practice. Have our desires for the wrong things decreased? Are we focusing on what is truly important?
April 24, 2018
15 minutes of fame? Why would you want that?
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that fame is ephemeral and intrinsically meaningless. What we do for others and to improve ourselves here and now is what really counts.
April 23, 2018
We all agree to do good, but disagree on what good is
Epictetus notes that people want to be good, regardless of their ethnicity, citizenship, or religion. But then they get lost in arguments over whether it is acceptable or not to eat pork.
April 20, 2018
No cell phones at dinner, just friends
Seneca tells Lucilius that one can learn a thing or two even from Epicurus, particularly that it is the company we keep that is the most important part of our meals.
April 19, 2018
Death is coming, what are you doing in the meantime?
Marcus Aurelius reminds himself that his life is finite and brief. How to live it, then? As a good person would, which is in his power to do.
April 18, 2018
Whose praise are you so desperately seeking?
Epictetus tells his students that they are fools if they think that being praised is important, particularly by people who they themselves do not think highly of!
April 17, 2018
Anger is temporary madness
Seneca tells us that anger is a form of temporary madness, not to be indulged by the person who cultivates reason.
April 16, 2018
Do you have reason? Why don't you use it, then?
Marcus Aurelius asks himself the rethorical question of whether he has reason, and then the less obvious one of why he is not making good use of it. What about you?
April 13, 2018
Is your mind in the dark, or are you just blind?
Epictetus explains why being blind is far less of a problem than having your mind in the dark.
April 12, 2018
Practice poverty to remind you of the important things
Seneca explains the Stoic practice of eating poor and scant food, and going outside dressed with old clothes, in order to remind ourselves that we can cope with difficult situations, and to appreciate anew what we have.
April 11, 2018
Change your mind, if others have better reasons
Marcus Aurelius reminds himself to use his faculty of judgment at its best, which includes changing his mind, should others have better reasons than his own.
April 10, 2018
A crown of roses looks better than one of gold
Epictetus mocks a student who is bent on pursuing power and wealth. Those things are neither good nor bad for the Stoics, it's a matter of how we use them.
April 9, 2018
How to handle the holidays, Stoically speaking
Seneca tells Lucilius about two levels of engagement with drunken crodws during the holidays. Good to remember for your next Thanksgiving, Christmans, or whatever you celebrate.
April 6, 2018
Harm comes from opinion, take away the opinion, then
Marcus Aurelius says that there is a difference between objective facts and our opinions of them. And much of our misery comes from the opinions, not the facts.
April 5, 2018
Practical philosophy is called practical for a reason
Musonius Rufus tells us that theory is important, and needs to precede practice. But it is the latter that makes the whole thing worth it.
April 4, 2018
People do bad things because they are fools
Epictetus reminds us of the Stoic doctrine that people don't do bad things on purpose, but rather because they are mistaken about the nature of good and evil.
April 3, 2018
Fate, God, or Chance, it doesn't really matter
Seneca says that whether the universe is controlled by universal laws, by a god, or by chance, we still have to do the right thing. And philosophy is our guide for that.
April 2, 2018
What are you going to do today to improve the human polis?
Marcus Aurelius articulates a series of if...then statements that argue that we are all members of a community of reasoners, and that reason dictates that we be helpful to such community.
March 30, 2018
Got a headache? Excellent opportunity to practice endurance!
Epictetus advises us to start practicing with small things. The next time you are sick, try not to curse or complain. You'll discover in you the power of endurance, and you'll be far less annoying to other people...
March 29, 2018
Practical philosophy is not an oxymoron
Seneca tells Lucilius that philosophy is not just a way to amuse the mind, but an exercise to guide our actions and mould our souls.
March 28, 2018
The universe is transformation, life is opinion
Marcus Aurelius here sounds like a Sophist, or a post-modern relativist. But he is a Stoic, so his message is a little more subtle than that.
March 27, 2018
Ultimately, it is always your decision
Even when threatened with your life, says Epictetus, you are the one in charge, you make the decision to yield or not to yield.
March 26, 2018
Take care of the body, but don't treat it as a temple
Seneca says that it is incumbent on us to take care of our body, but that we should even be willing to destroy it, if virtue demands it.
March 23, 2018
Fame is fickle, and irrelevant
Marcus reminds us that the number of Facebook likes we get is irrelevant to our happiness.
March 22, 2018
Study logic, reason well about life
Epictetus reminds his students that without logic there is no serious talking about how to live the life worth living.
March 21, 2018
Be afraid of the right things
Seneca says that we often spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about the wrong sorts of things.
March 20, 2018
How the Stoics saw women's education
Musonius Rufus says in no uncertain terms that men and women are capable, and indeed deserve, the same education, including in philosophy.
March 19, 2018
Nobody does wrong voluntarily
Marcus Aurelius reminds us of one of the most difficult, and yet most profound, doctrines of Stoicism: nobody commits wrongs on purpose, but only because they lack understanding of good and evil.
March 16, 2018
Reason is the name of the game
Epictetus argues that the only way to criticize reason is by way of applying reason. There are no alternative facts for the Stoics.
March 15, 2018
The truth belongs to everyone
Seneca explains to his friend Lucilius why on earth he approvingly quotes one of the Stoics' main rivals, Epicurus.
March 14, 2018
The inner citadel of peace
Marcus Aurelius reminds himself that he can always retreat into what Pierre Hadot famously referred to as the Inner Citadel, our own mind, where we can pay attention to and refine our faculty of judgment.
March 13, 2018
It takes time for a fig to ripe, or a character to mature
Epictetus cautions us to be patient while working on improving our character. Nothing important comes into being overnight.
March 12, 2018
The advantages of old age
Seneca tells Lucilius to pay attention to the joys of old age, and to be grateful for every day we live.
March 9, 2018
Fame is fleeting, focus on the here and now
Marcus Aurelius engages in a view from above meditation, reminding himself that the quest for fame is just plain irrational.
March 8, 2018
Make sure you work on your faculty of judgment
Epictetus reminds us that when we face an impression about an external thing we should consider carefully whether to assent to it, withhold assent, or remain neutral.
March 7, 2018
Pick a role model
Seneca advises Lucilius to choose a good role model to improve his character, for we cannot straighten what is crooked unless we use a ruler.
March 6, 2018
Philosophy as medicine for the mind
Musonius Rufus says that philosophy is like medicine: if it does not make you a healthier person, it is not useful.
March 5, 2018
With great power comes great responsibility
Epictetus reminds people with power that they should remember whom they have power over: fellow human beings, made of the same stuff, wanting the same things.
March 2, 2018
Keep a sound and upright soul, despise Fortune
The wise person, according to Seneca, needs others to live her life, but not to live a life worth living. For that, all she needs is to keep her faculty of judgment in good order.
March 1, 2018
Work for the public good
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that we need to work for the public good, not pursue power, fame, or pleasure.
March 1, 2018
Judgments, Not Externals
Epictetus reminds us that we are in charge of our judgments about things, and talks about Socrates, who chose to be in prison
March 1, 2018
It's All About Character
Seneca says that it makes no difference whether your house has a roof of gold, what matters is the character of the person who lives there.
March 1, 2018
Do The Right Thing, Now
Marcus Aurelius says that we need to stand erect of our own accord, not wait to be propped up by others.
March 1, 2018
Opinions Cause Suffering
Epictetus on the fact that it isn't exile, pain or death that determine our actions, but our opinions of those things.
March 1, 2018
Beware Of The Company You Keep
Seneca warns us that the path to virtue is easily disrupted by exposing ourselves to temptation and unsavory company.
March 1, 2018
We Are All Brothers & Sisters
Hierocles instructs us on a simple mental exercise to practice the Stoic concept of cosmopolitanism.
March 1, 2018
Philosophy As A Way Of Life
Musonius Rufus reminds us why we study philosophy, a different pursuit from what goes on in the modern academy.
March 1, 2018
Living According To Nature
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that to care for all people is according to (human) nature.
March 1, 2018
Against Nationalism
Epictetus tells us that Socrates never replied to the question "where are you from?" with "I am from Athens," but always with "I am a citizen of the world."
March 1, 2018
Courage Requires Justice
Seneca makes the surprising (to some) statement that Stoicism is all about community and sharing.
March 1, 2018
Use Your Thoughts Well
Marcus Aurelius tells us to ignore the opinion that others have of us, and to focus our energy instead on positive projects.
March 1, 2018
Character Is Crucial
Epictetus says that the measure of a person is the goodness of her character. Let's work on it, then!
March 1, 2018
The point of philosophy is...
Seneca makes a surprising statement about the primary aim of philosophy. Surprising, that is, if you confuse Stoicism and stoicism...
March 1, 2018
What happens after death?
Marcus Aurelius sounds agnostic about the after life. He also seems to think it doesn't matter.
March 1, 2018
Beware of superficial judgment
Epictetus observes that even if Plato were handsome and strong, that doesn't mean those are the traits that made him a great philosopher...
March 1, 2018
Wealth not a measure of worth
Seneca has a problem with people who measure their worth by fashion or wealth.
March 1, 2018
Don't be an imbecile!
Hierocles reminds us that it is useless to blame things that have no fault. Rather, look at how clumsy or stupid we are sometimes when we use them.
March 1, 2018
Radical idea: women equality
Musonius Rufus says women have the same reasoning abilities as man, the same faculty of distinguishing good from bad.
March 1, 2018
Remember, everything passes
Marcus Aurelius lists a number of important people who are no more, as a reminder of the impermanence of things, and to help us keep what happens to us in perspective.
March 1, 2018
What good did you do today?
Epictetus says that not doing awful things isn't enough, it's too lazy. The point is to positively do good things.
March 1, 2018
Beware of relying on luck
Seneca uses a beautiful analogy to explain why the Stoic practitioner should not rely on luck, and indeed should be positively weary of it.
March 1, 2018
Keep your inner demon clean
Marcus Aurelius talks about how we should keep our "daimon," i.e., our deliberating faculty, or our conscience.
March 1, 2018
Follow the counsel of reason
Epictetus reminds us that sometimes the reasonable thing to do is to suspend judgment. And always to face reality rather than engage in wishful thinking.
March 1, 2018
What counts as a good life?
Seneca says that the important thing is not how long a life you live, but what you do with it.
March 1, 2018
What matters is the here & now
Marcus Aurelius thinks that it's good to keep things in perspective, and that we only control the here and now.
March 1, 2018
Doing beats complaining
Epictetus reminds his student that certain things are an inevitable feature of the universe, and that it is better to work on them than just wish them away.
March 1, 2018
On death & the value of life
Seneca uses Epicurus' argument for why we should not be afraid of death, focusing instead on how to best live our life.
March 1, 2018
What makes your life worth it?
Marcus Aurelius introduces us to the apparently paradoxical notion that life, death, honor, dishonor, pleasure and pain are neither good nor bad.
March 1, 2018
Caring about your soul
Epictetus makes an interesting contrast between taking too much care of our bodies and too little care of our minds.
March 1, 2018
True friendship is rare
Seneca advises us on how to behave with true friends, and reminds us of how important they are in our life.
March 1, 2018
We are all brothers & sisters
Hierocles reminds us that we are fundamentally social animals, and that we are here to help each other.
March 1, 2018
Practice, practice, practice!
Musonius Rufus says that nobody is born a writer, musician, or athlete. People get there by studying and practicing. The same goes for virtue.
March 1, 2018
Clean up your own thinking
Marcus tells us that it's too easy and unnecessary to worry about other people's thoughts. It is far more difficult, but useful, to worry about our own.
March 1, 2018
Don't argue with stones
Epictetus says that some people hardens their opinions into stones. It's their problem, don't waste your time arguing with them.
March 1, 2018
On wealth and virtue
Seneca tells Lucilius that wealth should be limited, something that exposed him to charges of hypocrisy. Regardless, what is the relationship between wealth and virtue?
March 1, 2018
Use your time well...
Marcus reminds us that our life is short, and that we don't really know what day will be our last. So why not use our time in the best possible way?
March 1, 2018
Virtue is a matter of practice
Epictetus says that we become virtuous in the same way as athletes and musicians become more proficient at what they do: by constant practice.
March 1, 2018
Find wisdom wherever it is
Seneca wanders into Epicurean territory, as a scout, not a traitor.
March 1, 2018
Opinions cannot hurt you
Marcus is summarizing here some of the most important concepts of Stoicism, especially why we should pity, and not get upset with, people when they make mistakes.
March 1, 2018
On dealing with nasty people
Hierocles reminds us how to best respond to another human being who has ill feelings toward us.
March 1, 2018
Philosophy is about doing
Musonius Rufus says that philosophers should speak clearly, and most of all should live the way they talk.
March 1, 2018
Don't sell your soul cheap!
Epictetus asks us at what price we are willing to sell our soul, and advises us to aim for the highest one possible.
March 1, 2018
Read well, not a lot
Seneca reminds us that reading is serious business, and that time is limited. Choose well the authors in whose company you wish to spend time.
March 1, 2018
The duties of friendship
Marcus reminds us that we have duties toward the people we live with, and how to be positive about our friends.
March 1, 2018
How to act toward others
The second century Stoic Hierocles sounds very Christian, and for good reasons.
March 1, 2018
Seneca on not wasting time
This could be the last day of your life. Are you going to waste it by binging on a mediocre television show?
March 1, 2018
Is the wise person self sufficient?
Seneca puts forth a paradox: the wise person is self-sufficient, and yet she desires friends and neighbors. How is this possible?
February 28, 2018
Take care of your mind, it's precious
Epictetus notes that we can do a lot more with our mind than with our body. And yet we obsess over the latter and care little for the former.
February 28, 2018
Don't do anything that requires a wall or a curtain
The emperor-philosopher tells us that there is no profit for our character in doing things that require lying, being hypocritical, or otherwise damage our integrity.
February 28, 2018
Time to die or to go lunch?
Epictetus tells us that we have to tend to whatever is happening right now. If we are about to die, let's deal with it. But if not...
December 30, 2017
Don't postpone, life speeds by
Seneca tells us that time is a precious commodity, and one that, once loaned, can never be paid back.
December 29, 2017
Useful vs pedantic knowledge
Musonius Rufus reminds us of the difference between useful philosophy and dull mind games.
December 27, 2017


text:
Contrasting commissioner John Swofford's cautious optimism, Duke athletic director Kevin White is unabashedly bullish on the oft-discussed potential of a cable television channel dedicated to ACC sports.
I interviewed White earlier this week for a column on the Blue Devils' resurgent football program, and our conversation branched in several directions, including the ACC channel, Swofford's leadership and the possibility of taking the conference's men's basketball tournament to New York.
While Swofford has offered a vague "several years" timetable for the conference and media partner ESPN to explore and perhaps create an ACC channel, White was more specific.
"Should we realize the objective in 2016, should we realize the channel objective, we're going to be in an incredibly strong position for the next 15-20 years," he said. "In my opinion, I think it will happen, and I think it will be wildly successful."
Given the depth and quality of the ACC's product — football has emerged this season, while other sports remain national forces — and the league's post-expansion demographics, a channel seems a natural.
"For all the reasons that are really obvious," said White, who serves on the ACC's television subcommittee along with Clemson AD Dan Radakovich and North Carolina's Bubba Cunningham. "We have an interesting mix of schools academically and athletically. A bunch of institutions that are highly aspirational with a terrific following."
As the Raleigh New & Observer's Andrew Carter detailed in August, conference channels or networks face significant hurdles, but the Big Ten's has proven lucrative, and the Southeastern Conference's is set to debut next year.
The Big Ten "clearly became McDonald's in our industry, and anyone that would argue with that doesn't know what they're talking about," White said. "I think unfortunately there was a time 3-4 years ago where, I don't know who we were. We weren't Whataburger, but we were between Whataburger and Wendy's. We had fallen into that position. And I think the SEC was clearly Burger King.
"And I think we're kind of snuggling back up into the Burger King position with the grant of rights [the ACC's 15 schools signed one in April] everybody's renewed solidarity and our new market position. It's amazing how quickly we've regained what had been our historic position. We were in a bit of a free fall, but we're right back, and … I attribute all of it and more to John's leadership.
"We were there once upon a time, and unfortunately we kind of faded. You can quantify that, and people might disagree with that, but I think it's true, and there's enough empirical evidence to suggest that we kind of lost a little bit of our juice, and boy, we came roaring back. Now we are emerging."
The ACC's commish since 1997, Swofford was the point man as the league added Syracuse and Pittsburgh for all sports, Notre Dame for sports other than football, and Louisville to replace Big Ten-bound Maryland. Moreover, he convinced his 15 presidents to sign the grant of media rights, which binds the membership.
But Swofford, his North Carolina playing days long since done, can't win football games. The conference's teams have won enough of the right ones this season to keep undefeated Florida State and once-beaten Clemson in the national conversation since August.
"Invaluable," White said of the football uptick. "I really thought it could happen. I'd bet my life that it would happen, that we would cycle back. But then to see it happen takes all emotion to yet another level."
On his own campus, White has seen David Cutcliffe coach Duke to unforeseen heights. The Blue Devils (8-2, 4-2) are ranked 25th nationally and are two victories away from playing No. 2 Florida State in the ACC championship game.
"This is a seasoned football coach who chose to come to Duke," White said. "Joe Alleva, who was my predecessor, and (Duke president) Dick Broadhead made a brilliant, brilliant hire. … What he's done here is as good a coaching job as I've ever seen, and … I've been around a whole lot of really good ones."
I suggested to White that Duke's administration has helped Cutcliffe with facility upgrades and other resources.
"I would give you this," White said. "Dick Broadhead did a lot of really cool things at the beginning to help him and get him launched well. But David's taken this thing, and this is a one-man band. … You have to live it to really understand it. Our kids really believe."
And so, apparently, does the student body after last week's home upset of Miami.
"I don't think our kids on campus have come down to Earth yet," White said. "Football has that ability to make students and fans and alumni crazy. Not unlike Duke basketball (at Cameron Indoor Stadium). … Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday night was a little Cameron-like in my opinion, and that was pretty cool.
"What Mike Krzyzewski has done in Cameron — he set the standard not just at Duke but nationally in terms of exciting people and doing it the right way. I know David has done everything he can to emulate just what Coach K has done."
Since White mentioned basketball, and the ACC's broader footprint, I asked him about taking the basketball tournament north of the Mason-Dixon Line for the first time, to New York. The event is scheduled for Greensboro, N.C., in 2014 and '15, Washington, D.C., in 2016.
"We have a great history and tradition here," White said, "particularly in Greensboro. That's been the heart and soul of the ACC. So I think there's a whole bunch of folks within our league that would like the tournament to retain some kind of association with Greensboro.
"But at the same time, there's a whole bunch of us that would love it, I don't know how it all plays out, but I would like the ACC to have a very strong relationship with New York City. I'd be much less than honest if I didn't say that. That's the biggest media market in the world, great opportunity, and every one of our schools does LOTS of business up there, and I use that in the broadest context. … It's right in the midst of our footprint, so to do something up there with some level of frequency is important. But to retain our historical roots in Greensboro is also important to me."
I can be reached at 247-4636 or by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow me at twitter.com/DavidTeelatDP
Here's a link to my Daily Press print columns.


text:
Battle of the Sexes (BOS) Winners
BOS Champions February 2014
Is there any event more hotly contested (and more fun) than the Battle of the Sexes? Support your gender, do a little friendly trash talking and painting of the lobbies, but most of all have fun. Congratulations to all the winners.
More information on the BOS event