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Comment by dccoolgai | Hacker News Reader

Not sure why this is on here really, but I will say I picked this up about a year ago and started reading it and was absolutely blown away by how relevant it still is 1,000 years later. ...Think about how grounded you have to be to turn away from the life of material fulfillment that is offered to you as a Roman Emperor and instead live a life of philosophy and the mind. Wise dude, and it's worth reading what he wrote.

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If you enjoyed Meditations please keep a lookout for anything by Epictetus. Depending on the publisher titles may vary, but Discourses is common (iirc they were notes compiled from his many stories and teachings). You won't be disappointed.

Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius are perfect examples of how universally Stoicism can apply to people. One is a roman emperor, one is a freed slave.

I'd also recommend Epicurus's writings. Not exactly stoic, but they go hand-in-hand. See: http://classics.mit.edu/Epicurus/menoec.html

On a sidenote i just started to read "The Swerve" which is about how epicurs thoughts (by Lucretius "On the nature of things") were rediscovered at the beginning of the renaissance, until now a great read (and Pullitzer price winner last year, apparently)!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Swerve:_How_the_World_Beca...

A modern-day devotee of Epictetus was Admiral James Stockdale, best known for being Ross Perot's 1992 running mate. He wrote two great essays on how stoicism influenced his life, especially during his time as the senior naval prisoner of war in North Vietnam.

http://www.usna.edu/ethics/publications/documents/stoicism1.... http://www.usna.edu/ethics/publications/documents/Stoicism2....

"who am i, and why am I here ? "

A comment about his audience rather than himself.

In fairness to his audience, it wouldn't have been a big deal if he were otherwise polished and practiced at public speaking, debates, interviews, etc. As it was he looked like a goof most of the time, so most people actually were thinking "Ok, Seriously: who is this guy and why is he here?"

Also look for Seneca. In particular I liked "Letters From A Stoic".

Agreed, at times, when reading M.A. you will think you are reading the Discourses of Epictetus. Like literally.

Seneca's essays are also great!

Yes, I would read Seneca first or I highly recommend "A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy". Then reading Epictetus and Aurelius. Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson can also be added to the reading list in my view.

I can also recommend Cicero. But like any Stoic needs to be read critically.

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Cicero#Stoic_Parad...

Eh, a lot of it was kind of crappy stoner-speak and cosmic stipulations. You're better off reading Seneca - "Letters from a Stoic" is a good place to start.

Downvotes/tone aside, Letters from a Stoic is indeed a much easier to digest read. Much of Meditations feels particular to Aurelius, his education and his problems where Seneca feels a bit more easily applicable to life in the 21st century.

I found the opposite; Meditations felt like immediate practical wisdom, Letters from a Stoic I struggled to keep reading.

Also: if you're going to take self-help advice from anyone, might as well be the World's Most Important Man (at time of writing).

Not sure why this is on here really

Well...

but I will say I picked this up about a year ago and started reading it and was absolutely blown away by how relevant it still is 1,000 years later

I think you just answered your own question.

I can't remember who first recommended The Meditations to me, but I've found this work to be very relevant as well. What I wish I had, was more time to follow up with the writers of other Stoics. One day... sigh

I think it's a reaction to the other article on the front page that spoke about stoic philosophy.

And I agree wholeheartedly with what the OP said :)

I think it's a reaction to the other article on the front page that spoke about stoic philosophy.

It is. I was the earlier discussion, was reminded of this, and - since Stoicism has been on my mind lately anyway - I thought now might be a good time to share this, and that some people might find it interesting.

That said, I was shocked to come back online after a couple of hours and find this at the top of the front page. I thought it would get 4-5 upvotes and maybe 1 comment. :-)

Agreed. Many lessons there from a timeless wise man. 1,850 years later actually.

and yet as grounded as he was he still turned the empire over to Commodus.

We'd like to believe that wasn't his choice.

"The 1964 movie Fall of the Roman Empire and the 2000 movie Gladiator both posited that he was assassinated because he intended to pass down power to Aurelius's adopted son, a Roman general.." -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Aurelius#Legacy_and_rep...

am I missing your point or are you really just citing movie plots?

His point is that the movie plots show what people would like to believe.

2000

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