Guide to the Good Life: Difference between revisions
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Our brains evolved to make us good at surviving and reproducing. That is why we fear pain and crave pleasure and sex. Because we live in groups that enhance our survival and reproduction, we also crave social status. At some point, our brains became so powerful that we developed reason, language, and complex culture. Unfortunately, our powerful brains are still plagued by insatiable craving and gnawing anxiety, and this drives most of our decision making. | Our brains evolved to make us good at surviving and reproducing. That is why we fear pain and crave pleasure and sex. Because we live in groups that enhance our survival and reproduction, we also crave social status. At some point, our brains became so powerful that we developed reason, language, and complex culture. Unfortunately, our powerful brains are still plagued by insatiable craving and gnawing anxiety, and this drives most of our decision making. | ||
The Greek and Roman Stoics developed a strategy to address these problems. | The Greek and Roman Stoics developed a strategy to address these problems. Their goal was to pursue a state of tranquility while still being useful to society. They recommended that we: | ||
* reflect upon our motivations in daily life | |||
* realize that the pursuit of fame, fortune, and pleasure do not yield tranquility | |||
* accept that we are social and need human interaction; but be critical of the motivations of our fellows | |||
* regularly contemplate the loss of all we take for granted, and practice living without these things on occasion | |||
* refuse to worry about things we cannot control | |||
* embrace the present moment | |||
Latest revision as of 20:57, 11 February 2016
The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy, by William Irvine
Our brains evolved to make us good at surviving and reproducing. That is why we fear pain and crave pleasure and sex. Because we live in groups that enhance our survival and reproduction, we also crave social status. At some point, our brains became so powerful that we developed reason, language, and complex culture. Unfortunately, our powerful brains are still plagued by insatiable craving and gnawing anxiety, and this drives most of our decision making.
The Greek and Roman Stoics developed a strategy to address these problems. Their goal was to pursue a state of tranquility while still being useful to society. They recommended that we:
- reflect upon our motivations in daily life
- realize that the pursuit of fame, fortune, and pleasure do not yield tranquility
- accept that we are social and need human interaction; but be critical of the motivations of our fellows
- regularly contemplate the loss of all we take for granted, and practice living without these things on occasion
- refuse to worry about things we cannot control
- embrace the present moment