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ampere_exe's review against another edition
5.0
Meditations made me think of the world in a way that I hadn't looked at it before. It is no short of masterful in that it made me a kinder, logical, and more resilient person.
brakian's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Tons of quotable oneliners, but ultimately stoicism gets tiresome.
jmm's review against another edition
5.0
The only downside of having read this book is that its original publication date really messes up my goodreads "Profile > Stats > Publication Year" graph
sidharthvardhan's review
4.0
There was a time when to emphasize the importance the fiscal correction by goverment to resolve short term crisis, Keynes said "In the long term, we are all dead." That answered all classical economicsts who suggested that market can heal itself in long run.
Aurelius might have said this "In long term, we are all dead" but to argue that thus nothing matters. There are many other ideas but this stoicism is probably the one you are most likely to remember. That said, his stoicism isn't averse to action but just to do what can be done and avoid needless worrying. Although personally I think worrying is more an emotional and irrational matter - you can't just reason your worrying heart to any consolation.
I read somewhere that it is easier for someone like him to philosphise - being a king and all, but to be honest, I think being a king probably makes it difficult to live by such philosphies. I have to wonder how come he wasn't usurped given how easily he desires to forgive others. Power is a jealous mistress, it rarely resides long enough with someone who doesn't desire it for itself, and isn't willing to compromise on their values to retain it.
Aurelius might have said this "In long term, we are all dead" but to argue that thus nothing matters. There are many other ideas but this stoicism is probably the one you are most likely to remember. That said, his stoicism isn't averse to action but just to do what can be done and avoid needless worrying. Although personally I think worrying is more an emotional and irrational matter - you can't just reason your worrying heart to any consolation.
I read somewhere that it is easier for someone like him to philosphise - being a king and all, but to be honest, I think being a king probably makes it difficult to live by such philosphies. I have to wonder how come he wasn't usurped given how easily he desires to forgive others. Power is a jealous mistress, it rarely resides long enough with someone who doesn't desire it for itself, and isn't willing to compromise on their values to retain it.
tombennett72's review against another edition
5.0
It would be easy to echo the many reviews of this book that talk of the origins and structure of Meditations.
However, the most striking thing about this for me is that in reading private reflections the reader is given a fascinating insight into another human being. This is all the more amazing given that this other human being was a Roman emperor, a figure of history. I finish this book with a sense that I understand, to some extent, the humanity and character of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus - and that's just incredible.
However, the most striking thing about this for me is that in reading private reflections the reader is given a fascinating insight into another human being. This is all the more amazing given that this other human being was a Roman emperor, a figure of history. I finish this book with a sense that I understand, to some extent, the humanity and character of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus - and that's just incredible.