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4.1 AVERAGE

challenging inspiring reflective slow-paced

Changed my life.
inspiring slow-paced

Life changing

I am still thinking through this one and reviewing my notes. Knowing that Epictetus, a former slave, also had a lot to say on similar themes, I struggled a bit as I was constantly reminded that this was the journal of an emperor which we have turned into self-help today. This is not to say that Aurelius did not have his share of adversity to overcome, but the platform of privilege on which all of his thoughts were propped upon warped my sense of what he was getting at sometimes. My awareness of that caused me to challenge some of his thoughts, but there are many ideas and explanations in this work that I am still meditating on constantly. 
challenging emotional inspiring reflective relaxing
reflective
challenging reflective slow-paced

In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius struggles to reconcile his ideals and his fears. The only person he is trying to convince is himself which adds a uniquely earnest and vulnerable tone to the convictions he is exploring. While I dont agree with everything in the moral framework illustrated here - there are some tensions Aurelius never resolves - I find most of it a relatable and inspiring blend of rationalism, existentialism, and idealism. 
reflective relaxing medium-paced

TL;DR: bądź sprawiedliwy i rozumny; twoje istnienie na świecie jest efemeryczne; rozkosz nie jest dobra ani pożyteczna; nie dziw się niczemu, bo inaczej jesteś śmieszny; wszystko jest takie jakie zostało stworzone, złe czy dobre; nie oceniaj niczego; twoją naturą jest czynienie wszystkiego dla dobra społeczeństwa, bo jesteś częścią społeczeństwa i z tego będziesz miał szczęście
nie ma za co