Johnathan! I really appreciate your work and how you broadcast the importance of philosophy! I work as a chaplain, and I studied philosophy (mostly Karl Jaspers) in my undergraduate education.
I also really appreciate that you focus your work towards a subgroup of people with similar interests in deep engagement rather than mass appeal. It demonstrates much integrity on your part and your authenticity.
I like Marcus Aurelius, but I’m cautious about his ideas. The author Joseph Conrad (one of the most influential writers for me, although I’m aware of his controversies and the impacts they can have on people) said in his autobiography:
“I am thinking that it is an easy matter for an austere emperor to jot down grandiose advice. Most of the working truths on this earth are humble, not heroic; and there have been times in the history of mankind when the accents of heroic truth have moved it to nothing but derision.
Nobody will expect to find between the covers of this little book words of extraordinary potency or accents of irresistible heroism. However humiliating for my self esteem, I must confess that the counsels of Marcus Aurelius are not for me.” (A Personal Record, Conrad)
Again, thanks for what you do, and keep it up! Blessings from Atlanta, GA!
It’s fascinating how much of what Marcus Aurelius expresses here parallels the teachings of the Bhagavad Gītā.
The balance between deep engagement in one’s duties and inner detachment is almost identical. Even the reflective practice of stepping back and stripping things of their imagined value feels very close to what the Gītā describes through a kind of neti neti analysis.
I kept expecting the Gītā to come up at some point—there’s a real philosophical resonance there that’s hard to miss.
Good presentation. But the fundamental flaw of Stoicism is that it is not based on the scientific reality of the human condition. The Meditations, in fact, are a chronicle of Marcus’ repeated failures to apply Stoic principles to the reality of his human existence. In other words, Stoicism is aspirational as an ideal but mostly impractical as a philosophy of life.
Jonathan himself said, there are no true sages, only practitioners. Meaning, no one is truly stoic (in the sense, no one is truly a sage), not even Marcus. Being a stoic sage is aspirational as you point out, but that doesn't mean being a stoic practitioner is too. If you'd allow me to use some recursive logic: perhaps part of being stoic, is to strive to be stoic, regardless of whether one succeeds or fails.
Although, I concede this breaks with the thrust of the lecture, what I'm suggesting is showing a preferred indifference to one's internal state as well, not just the external states.
Thank you for this lecture, i love how everything leads back to virtue all these obstacles and challenges create in us an opportunity to raise our consciousness above the external material world.
Johnathan! I really appreciate your work and how you broadcast the importance of philosophy! I work as a chaplain, and I studied philosophy (mostly Karl Jaspers) in my undergraduate education.
I also really appreciate that you focus your work towards a subgroup of people with similar interests in deep engagement rather than mass appeal. It demonstrates much integrity on your part and your authenticity.
I like Marcus Aurelius, but I’m cautious about his ideas. The author Joseph Conrad (one of the most influential writers for me, although I’m aware of his controversies and the impacts they can have on people) said in his autobiography:
“I am thinking that it is an easy matter for an austere emperor to jot down grandiose advice. Most of the working truths on this earth are humble, not heroic; and there have been times in the history of mankind when the accents of heroic truth have moved it to nothing but derision.
Nobody will expect to find between the covers of this little book words of extraordinary potency or accents of irresistible heroism. However humiliating for my self esteem, I must confess that the counsels of Marcus Aurelius are not for me.” (A Personal Record, Conrad)
Again, thanks for what you do, and keep it up! Blessings from Atlanta, GA!
Will
Right?! Loving all his YouTube videos we need good quality and thoughtful productions. One of my favorite teachers!
Yes! I totally agree! Thank you for reading my comment! 😇
It’s fascinating how much of what Marcus Aurelius expresses here parallels the teachings of the Bhagavad Gītā.
The balance between deep engagement in one’s duties and inner detachment is almost identical. Even the reflective practice of stepping back and stripping things of their imagined value feels very close to what the Gītā describes through a kind of neti neti analysis.
I kept expecting the Gītā to come up at some point—there’s a real philosophical resonance there that’s hard to miss.
Good presentation. But the fundamental flaw of Stoicism is that it is not based on the scientific reality of the human condition. The Meditations, in fact, are a chronicle of Marcus’ repeated failures to apply Stoic principles to the reality of his human existence. In other words, Stoicism is aspirational as an ideal but mostly impractical as a philosophy of life.
Jonathan himself said, there are no true sages, only practitioners. Meaning, no one is truly stoic (in the sense, no one is truly a sage), not even Marcus. Being a stoic sage is aspirational as you point out, but that doesn't mean being a stoic practitioner is too. If you'd allow me to use some recursive logic: perhaps part of being stoic, is to strive to be stoic, regardless of whether one succeeds or fails.
Although, I concede this breaks with the thrust of the lecture, what I'm suggesting is showing a preferred indifference to one's internal state as well, not just the external states.
True
Lol / if you do not have the capacity in your brain ... nothing will help you anyway ...
very beautiful
You just won a new follower.
Thank you for this lecture, i love how everything leads back to virtue all these obstacles and challenges create in us an opportunity to raise our consciousness above the external material world.
Very convincing
Thank you for the lecture. This was truly helpful and interesting.
100% true
Including me
.
This was so brilliant! I love Marcus too 🥹 he’s like the Dad I’ve never had and have his book my my bedside and read it in the morning