It's a grift tactic (even the exact type of laugh when he brings up Freud), but I agree with you that he's not literally grifting, more like a white-washing.

Thanks for bringing up Meditations -- it was gifted to me three years ago. Although I roughly knew Stoicism, it was my first time reading it. It helped reaffirm my focus on OSS as a channel for personal improvement and contribution to society. With so much world chaos, probably a good time re-read it.