I listened to Wang Shuo’s explanation of Stoicism before, and somehow I was attracted to it and deeply identified with his thoughts.
Recently, I have been in an inexplicable mood. When you are panicked and sad, you will be reminded of what the Stoics said: Love what we love, but know that our love is like morning dew.
Think of life as a banquet where you should behave gracefully and appropriately. I would like to encourage myself with this sentence.
The following is an introduction and summary of the information:
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< p>Epictetus (approximately 55-135DC), a famous Stoic (stoic) philosopher in ancient Rome, was the person who had the greatest influence on Western ethics after Socrates.He was born into a slave family with a disabled leg. His master Epaphroditus was a Roman minister who later killed the extravagant and brutal Emperor Nero. Epictetus was very talented and was fortunate enough to study under the famous Stoic philosopher Rufus and was freed from slavery. Later, he and other philosophers were driven out of Rome by the Roman Emperor Domitian for fear. Epictetus taught philosophy in Nicopolis on the northwest coast of Greece until he died at the age of 80.
Epictetus's works were recorded and compiled by his student Arrian, mainly including "The Meditations of Epictetus", "Arrian's Discourses of Epictetus" and a brief version of "Handbook/enchiridion". His works read like vernacular, simple and clear, and the "Handbook" has only 52 paragraphs. He constructed a philosophy of life, seeking freedom and peace of mind, living a self-controlled life in compliance with the laws of nature, and advocating being the master of his own soul no matter what the situation.
Who is a Stoic? Even though he was sick, in danger, dying, exiled in a different place, and surrounded by bad words, he still felt happy. He desires to be one with God, never complains, never feels disappointed, never opposes His will, never feels angry or jealous. ("Meditations")
Control
If you want to gain happiness and freedom, you must understand this truth: some things we can control, others cannot. Only by facing up to this basic principle and learning to distinguish between what you can control and what you cannot control can you have inner peace and outer efficiency.
(Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body , property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions. #enchiridion 1)
Freedom
It is not the thing itself that hurts us, but our reaction to it. view of things. Things themselves don’t hurt or hinder us, and neither do others. What really scares and panics us is not the external event itself, but the way we think about it. It’s not the things that make us uneasy, but our interpretation of their meaning.
Everything in the world does not appear to cater to our expectations. They happen as they happen, and people act as they should.
Freedom is not the right or ability to do whatever you want. Freedom comes from understanding the limits of one's own power and the limits of nature set by God. We can be free by accepting the limits and inevitability of life without fighting against it.
(Remember, that not he who gives ill language or a blow insults, but the principle which represents these things as insulting. When, therefore, anyone provokes you, be assured that it is your own opinion which provokes you. #enchiridion 20
If you ever happen to turn your attention to externals, so as to wish to please anyone, be assured that you have ruined your scheme of life. #enchiridion 23)
Gains and Losses
Take care of what you happen to have. We have nothing really to lose and nothing to lose. We gain inner peace when we stop saying, "I lost it," and instead say, "It's back where it came from." Is your child gone? He simply returned to the place he was before he came into the world. Has your partner died? He or she is just back to the original place. Have you been stripped of your property? They return to where they came from.
Don’t care what other people think of you. They are often confused and deceived by superficial phenomena. Stick to your goals. This alone can strengthen your will and bring coherence to your life.
(While he gives it to you to possess, take care of it; but don't view it as your own, just as travelers view a hotel. #enchiridion 11
Consider when, on a voyage, your ship is anchored; if you go on shore to get water you may along the way amuse yourself with picking up a shellish, or an onion. However, your thoughts and continual attention ought to be bent towards the ship , waiting for the captain to call on board; you must then immediately leave all these things, otherwise you will be thrown into the ship, bound neck and feet like a sheep. So it is with life. #enchiridion 7)
Nature
Natural will is revealed through daily experience common to all people. For example, if a neighbor's kid breaks a bowl or something like that, we easily say, "This happened." So when your bowl is broken, you react in the same way. Like someone else's bowl being broken. We need to extend this understanding to those worldly matters that worry us more and have more serious consequences.
Life is not a series of random and meaningless events, but an orderly and beautiful whole that follows ultimately understandable laws.
(Don't demand that things happen as you wish, but wish that they happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. #enchiridion 8)
Habit
p>Every habit and ability is maintained and strengthened through corresponding behaviors: the habit of walking makes us better at walking, and regular running makes us better at running.
Be clear about what thoughts or ideas you allow into your mind. If you are not selective about what you accept, others will choose for you, and their motives may not be noble.
Detachment
Treat life as a banquet in which you should behave gracefully and appropriately. When the dish is handed to you, you can reach out and take a portion, but the portion should be appropriate; if the dish just passes by your eyes, enjoy the food on your plate; if the dish has not been passed to you, you should wait patiently .
Don’t compare yourself with others, let alone your ideal self. Human perfection is gradual and requires an effort process of two steps forward and one step back.
Look at those children, reaching into the narrow-mouth bottles and trying with all their might to get the nuts and figs out. If they have a full fistful, they won't be able to get their hands out, which will make them cry. "Don't take so many things so that you can take your hands off." The same goes for you, let go of your desires and don't covet so many things, so that you can gain something.
(Remember that you must behave in life as at a dinner party. Is anything brought around to you? Put out your hand and take your share with moderation. Does it pass by you? Don't stop it . Is it not yet come? Don't stretch your desire towards it, but wait till it reaches you. #enchiridion 15)
Rationality
Thinking clearly is not a requirement The art of indifference. The task of reason is to critically examine our speculations, which includes examining the explanations we make and the methods by which we arrived at those explanations. Reason is not an end, but an indispensable means. Asking questions is a rational motivator, so you need to learn how to ask questions rationally rather than emotionally. If your ability to think clearly is impaired, your ethical life will become muddled. Reason can distinguish between truth and falsehood, and between high and low levels of truth.
The hallmarks of good reasoning are: clarity, consistency, rigor, precise definitions, and no ambiguity.
(When walking, you are careful not to step on a nail or turn your foot; so likewise be careful not to hurt the ruling faculty of your mind. #enchiridion38)
Original intention
The wisest among us understand the natural limits of our knowledge and have the courage to remain childlike.
The first step towards wisdom is the most difficult, because our fragile and stubborn hearts are afraid of fatigue (not to mention whether there will be rewards or not) and afraid of strangers. As you make progress through hard work, your determination will strengthen and self-improvement will slowly become easier
Destiny
Personal value has its roots not externally. It cannot be found in your interactions with others or in their perceptions.
Others, even those who love you, may not necessarily agree with your ideas, understand you, or share your enthusiasm. Be more mature! Who cares what others think of you! You have your own work to do. Just do it now and do it to the best of your ability, no matter who is looking at you.
According to God’s arrangement, each of us has our own vocation. Heed the call of Heaven and follow Him faithfully. Be realistic with yourself. Clearly assess your strengths and weaknesses.
Significance
We must be educated, not to change the composition of things, but so that, seeing the true face and nature of things around us, we can align our will with What happened was harmonious. Because we are not given the ability to change the structure of things, and things will not become better because of it.
Because nothing can hinder or harm a person's will outside the controllable scope of the will. If he only seeks his "good", his highest good, within his ability and without hindrance, he will gain freedom, tranquility, happiness, peace, nobility and piety, and he will be grateful for the achievements of all things. God doesn't find fault with anything.
(You are no longer a boy, but a grown man. If, therefore, you will be negligent and slothful, and always add procrastination to procrastination, purpose to purpose, and fix day after day in which you will attend to yourself, you will insensibly continue without proficiency, and, living and dying, persevere in being one of the vulgar. This instant, then, think yourself worthy of living as a man grown up, and a proficient. Let whatever appears to be the best be to you an inviolable law. And if any instance of pain or pleasure, or glory or disgrace, is set before you, remember that now is the combat, now the Olympiad comes on, nor can it be put off. # enchiridion 50)